HOUSING
‘WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GO?’
THE HUMAN STORIES BEHIND THE WATERLOO ESTATE. GERARD VIRGONA, 55, MARTON BUILDING
LINDA MONTANA, 47, MARTON BUILDING
Gerard enjoys a sweeping vista of Sydney from his apartment, but he’s not one to be preoccupied by it. “I’m not really that into the view. When you first move in it’s OK and then it’s just the same.” He hopes the redevelopment improves the estate’s homes. “Considering what’s been happening with defects in tall buildings lately, I’m a bit dubious of the redevelopment, but I don’t mind. Once you’re behind your four walls, what does it matter?”
Linda’s unit is a frenzy of animal print furniture and indoor plants. “I’ve always loved that jungle vibe. This is a place of sanctuary, even though people say, ‘Oh, it’s public housing’. It’s what you make it.” Linda, who is transgender, fears the redevelopment will destroy a sense of community. She otherwise feels aloof about it. “I’m just on my own so I can just bring my plants with me wherever.”
CATHERINE SKIPPER, 83, MATAVAI BUILDING Sun streams through the window of Catherine’s apartment, where classical literature lines the bookshelves and artworks dot the walls. “It’s beautiful isn’t it,” she says of the morning light. Catherine, a former teacher, was nervous to move into the estate a decade ago. “People said to me, ‘Waterloo — that’s a terrible place’. But after being here a week or so I realised it’s a lovely place and I was very lucky to be living here.”
“Here is very good. I know so many people. I give people a smiley face — ‘hello!’”
ANNA LAI, 80, MARTON BUILDING Anna has lived in Waterloo for 23 years after moving to Australia from Taiwan. “When I came here there were no people, no Chinese — only me.” Anna doesn’t want to leave. “Here is very good. I know so many people. I give people a smiley face — ‘hello!’ Some people here are not good. Sometimes people knock on my door at night — noisy! People can’t move from here. You move away — sad. I die here.” > continued next page
KARYN BROWN, 58, MADDEN PLACE APARTMENT Karyn likes the company and security of living in the inner city. She’s lived in Waterloo for 29 years. “There’s this idea people live here because they were told to live here and if you tell them to live somewhere else that will be OK. People live here because they want to. I don’t know where I’ll move yet, so that’s a little bit frightening. It’s quite hard to deal with, it’s hard to plan anything.”
www.innersydneyvoice.org.au • Spring 2020• Inner Sydney Voice
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