Residents of Darling Point’s singing apartment block Glenhurst Gardens reflect on community kindess during COVID-19 and why it should go on
The famed ‘singing apartment block’ is no longer hosting concerts but residents there are determined to keep the community close.
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The pandemic has been tough on many of us and apartment dwellers have felt the angst of self-isolation in a uniquely painful way.
Surrounded by people, they’ve never been more alone.
Some have turned to old-fashioned activities such as board games, radio quizzes and even the crossword, but, still, there have been genuinely difficult moments, especially for those without partners or flatmates, kids or even pets.
When the gloom began to spread at Glenhurst Gardens, a mammoth building comprising of 96 units on the western side of Darling Point, overlooking our famed harbour from every which way, the social committee decided to do something about it.
Initially a shared drinks event was dreamt up with residents sipping cocktails from their individual balconies on designated nights at 6pm on the dot. That cheered the community spirit.
It was then the committee conceived of an even more glorious, more inclusive event – singing evenings.
Song sheets were delivered to each and every one of the complex letter boxes and residents were alerted of which songs they would be singing along to that Sunday evening and at what time.
When the clock struck 6pm choirmaster and trained singer Stuart Shaw took the microphone and began leading the residents in song and what a time was had. The event was so incredibly popular that three more were quickly scheduled.
Resident Ashley Wales-Brown decided the event needed a compere and took up the role. This inspired fellow resident Lidia Stojanovski to become Stuart’s back up singer. Every week residents hit their respective balconies opened up their hearts and sang – and the joy was palpable.
The final concert was Sunday May 9 and it was perhaps the best of the series, says building supervisor Gina Auchinachie.
“Everyone sang their hearts out,” she says happily.
“The residents loved it and a lot of locals joined in too ... they brought their families and their dogs and sat out the front and sang along too.
“There were even people down in Rushcutter’s Bay looking up to the building and singing along. It was amazing.”
Locked down laws have eased somewhat and we’re now able to host small dinner parties and visit one another’s homes. Accordingly the singing apartment’s COVID-19 singalong series has come to a close, but in just four weeks it changed everything for those live there.
“Has it worked,” asks Gina.
“Oh god yes. It brought our community so much closer together and gave everyone something to look forward to during a very uncertain time. It helped us all to cope.”
While the concert series is at an end, Glenhurst Gardens social committee plans to host many more events to keep the beautiful warm community vibe going. And Gina would love to see this happen elsewhere too.
“It gave a lot of people happiness,” she says.
And why not keep that going? After all, COVID or no, it’s what makes the world go round.
