Braybrook resident Lorraine Kennedy has been giving her time and her energy to the community for over 40 years. For her efforts she was named the 2006 Maribyrnong Citizen of the Year. She continues to volunteer today and among her many roles Lorraine is the community representative on the Braybrook Community Hub Governance Committee.
“We were living in the high rise flats in Kensington, myself, my husband and six kids. In June 1972 we transferred to a three bedroom weatherboard house in Braybrook.
We were thrilled. There was room for the kids to play in the back yard, there were good schools.
I remember the rent was $12. Then it jumped to $19 and we thought we should do something, so we arranged to buy the house from the Commission.
I have always been involved in the community because I am proud of where I live. I want to have a say on what happens and I want to partake in community life.
When we came here there were no playgrounds. We had Skinner Reserve, a beautiful oval, but it had a great big fence around it.
The area has really grown and a lot of new people have come in. We have made a lot of progress.
We started with a small community health centre, now we have this fantastic Hub with everything in the one place; health care, child care, library, community garden, Men’s Shed, meeting rooms.
It’s a dream come true.
I want to say to young people in public housing that they should take pride in where they live. Everything they want is achievable if they put the work in.”