HAVING moved to Spain some nine years ago, mainly because of the political situation, I have seen many changes in my old district and have also noticed the change in the people.

Everyone is on about Broomfield House and the park.

From being what was one of the best kept parks in the area, its upkeep has fallen.

Where are the swans? What's happened to the scented garden for the blind and that lovely lawn behind the house?

Who allowed the pond to become overrun by those horrible Canadian geese, much to the detriment of the local ducks and like?

They've even pinched the running track and football pitch.

Put it back the way it was, I say, so once again there is a nice place to go for a walk or to play in this, our borough.

As for the widening of the North Circular, isn't it about time it happened?

I was still a boy when they knocked down one side of Bowes Road, took out the humped back bridge over the New River and widened the railway bridge at the same spot in Green Lanes. It's been waiting to be done for years, about 35 at my reckoning.

Yes, I know there are fors and againsts. But wouldn't it improve traffic flow all over and especially around that particular spot?

What do the anti-widening parties want us to do, stick our heads in the sand and pretend the car will disappear?

Having now been forced to retire through ill health, I can hear you saying: "Huh! It's all right for him, he lives in Spain, and so on."

Yes, I might but I still care for my old borough.

CHRIS BRADLY,

Playa Mogacar,

Almeria,

Spain.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.