It's finally time to reveal the annual Best of Richmond where we survey our readers and ask them to rank local businesses – everything from pizza joints to hair salons.
Along with businesses and organizations, we also love to highlight Richmondites who make a difference in the community and who make the city strong. Some you may have heard of, others maybe not. Either way, their contribution towards building a healthy, vibrant community has been invaluable. Each day this week, we will introduce three of these people to you.
Jaime Da Costa
Born and raised in Richmond, Jaime Da Costa knows a thing or two about Richmond and its history. She spent the first nine years of her life growing up in Finn Slough in a small float home built by her father.
“I was labeled a “Slough Rat” by classmates at Thomas Kidd,” said Da Costa.
“I spent my days climbing trees and exploring the dykes. I spent the winters ice-skating on frozen ditches and the summers fishing with my Dad and then my Grandpa.”
At a young age, in 2000, Da Costa started working at Steveston Harbour Authority as a receptionist and knew after her first day that she wanted to one day manage the harbour.
After 18 years and upgrades to her education, the opportunity arose.
One of Da Costa’s first orders of business was to handle the global online phenomenon of a sea lion pulling in a little girl at the dock.
Things have been busy elsewhere at the harbour, with the construction of a new ice packing plant and the opening last year of a new fish sales dock.
And Da Costa continues onward with the harbour’s participation in the Global Ghost Gear Initiative.
In her downtime Da Costa likes to remain in Steveston, getting ice cream with 10-year-old daughter Rihonna.
How do you stay healthy in Richmond?
On my lunch hours you will find me walking the dyke from Trites to No. 3 Road.
What’s your favourite Richmond park?
Southarm Park- I have many fond memories of my Grannie taking me there and playing princess in the concrete castle.
What’s top of your bucket list?
To one day explore Italy with my daughter.
What’s your favourite food?
I would have to say mint chocolate chip ice cream from Purdys.
What do you like best about Richmond?
The best thing about Richmond is its proximity to the water and the amount the parks and the green space.
If Richmond was a celebrity, who would it be?
Nicole Kidman. Beautiful, elegant, diverse.
What’s your favourite sports team?
Hands down Toronto Raptors (I am a huge basketball fan and was devastated when the Grizzlies left Vancouver).
Best place to take an out-of-town guest?
Steveston Harbour of course.
What other city would you compare Richmond to?
There is no city that even comes close to Richmond.
Geling Jiang
Geling Jiang, an award-winning musician specializing in Chinese traditional instruments, hit the Vancouver music scene after immigrating to Canada in 2004.
Jiang joined several contemporary music ensembles based in Vancouver and performed Chinese traditional instruments such as the Zheng, Pipa, Sanxian and Ruan across Canada, the US, the Netherlands, Malaysia, the Philippines and China.
She has also been a guest musician for the Vancouver Symphony, the University of British Columbia (UBC) Symphony, the Elektra Women’s Choir, and has been a Chinese music instrument coach at the UBC School of Music.
Jiang does not limit herself to traditional Chinese music, but instead, always experiments with new techniques and music styles.
She is also a good improviser among different musicians and believes that Chinese instruments can fit in to and add a vibe to any orchestra made up of other instruments.
Jiang founded a Richmond-based Zheng trio, ‘21 Strings Plus,’ this year, to perform the instrument with more than 200 years of history in the community alongside two other musicians. She is also the Plucked String Section tutor of the BC Chinese Youth Orchestra.
What’s your favourite Richmond park?
Minoru Park, Iona Beach Regional Park and Garry Point Park.
What’s top of your bucket list?
To have a peaceful life
What’s your favourite food?
Chinese food
What do you like best about Richmond?
Community Center of Thompson
Who is your favourite musician?
Ray Zhuo
Best place to take an out-of-town guest?
Richmond Olympic Oval
What other city would you compare Richmond to?
Vancouver
Jack Bron
You will see Jack Bron out and about in Richmond, delivering your copies of the Richmond News every week.
Although now a proud Richmondite and one of the News’ longest-serving carriers, Bron, now retired, was actually born in France, near Grenoble in a small town.
When finishing school, he became an apprentice in a pastry shop for three years before being conscripted into the army.
And once his application as a landed immigrant was approved, he moved to Montreal for two years, which Bron describes as a “beautiful city, but so cold with long winters.”
He then moved to Vancouver, indicating that his first few years were difficult because he didn’t speak any English.
In 1974, he met his future wife, Louise, and married six months later, citing her English as being a “great help.” In 1983, the couple had their daughter, Michelle.
Not long after settling in Richmond, Bron found work with the Cara Group at YVR as a pastry baker.
He worked there for 37 years until one day, he was terminated. “So much for loyalty,” said Bron, who had to retire early at 61-years-old, as it “was hard to find work.”
However, his early exit from the treadmill of life allowed him to follow his passion for the outdoors with canoeing, hiking, fishing and rock climbing top of the agenda.
“B.C. is a great place for these activities,” added Bron.
How do you stay healthy in Richmond?
Lots of walking with my daughter’s two-year-old black Lab, Lily.
What is your favourite Richmond park?
Garry Point
What tops on your bucket list?
Working on doing more hikes
What’s your favourite food?
Salmon
What do you like best about Richmond?
I like that Richmond is very multicultural.
What’s your favourite sports team?
Vancouver Canucks
Best place to take out-of-town guest?
Steveston wharf and Vancouver Island
What other city would compare Richmond to?
Delta
Along with these profiles, more than 6,000 people ranked companies in four categories: Food & Entertainment, Shopping, Services and Health & Fitness this year. Here are the winners for:
See the full, digital version of our special Best of Richmond edition here.
