Every morning, a group of seniors - from 20 on a freezing day to up to 50 in the summer - show up at a park in Richmond to sing.
This is the Park Choir that, on most days, can be seen and heard at Garden City Park, but sometimes the singing group ventures out to other Richmond parks
“We sing every day throughout the year, rain or shine. If it rains, we stay under a tree or hold umbrellas. We don’t take breaks even on New Year’s Day or Lunar New Year,” explained the choir's founder Richmond resident Xiaozhen Liu.
“During the cherry blossom season, we sang under cherry trees at Garry Point Park, and when it snowed, we sang the classic Chinese song, ‘I Love you, the Snow in Northern Frontier' to the snow.’”
Liu, a 78-year-old retired IT professional, who has lived in Richmond for more than a decade, started singing in the park once a week before the pandemic with a few of her friends, just as a hobby.
“We continued singing during the pandemic as it was very challenging to stay at home all the time, and then more and more people joined us,” she recalled.
“And then it became a daily routine.”
The Park Choir has changed Liu's life forever, and it has also changed the lives of many Richmond seniors.
The choir now has more than 100 members, mostly retired residents but also older working professionals who join in on the weekend.
Although it’s volunteer-based, members have been very dedicated to it and they have performed at community events, Liu explained.
“Some live in Burnaby and UBC and have been coming for three years, and some have moved home to live near the park."
Park choir helps older newcomers find community
Many Park Choir members moved to Richmond in recent years, either to live with or visit their children and grandchildren who have made Canada their home, according to Liu.
Language and cultural barriers can often leave them feeling lonely and isolated, and the choir created a community for them.
“Some are experiencing a hard time staying at home all the time, some just moved here from China, and some may be going through some difficult times – our choir lets them get out of the house, enjoy the fresh air and meet with people,” said Liu.
She recalled once a member told her he was going through some difficult times, but he felt much better after coming to the choir, where he felt a sense of belonging.
“But we are not a social group, we take singing very seriously and every time we meet, we sing for the whole time,” said Liu, adding the choir’s teacher Huige has taught the members more than 100 songs, including a few English ones.
“It brings us joy and health. We will continue to sing for as long as we can.”
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