January E-Newsletter 2023
Dear Neighbours,
Happy New Year! As we welcome 2023, I am filled with optimism and boundless energy to tackle all that awaits me at City Hall. I continue to have great passion for our City and am prepared to work hard for all the residents of Richmond Hill.
In this newsletter, you will find some highlights of events, important dates, and updates regarding the winter season in Richmond Hill. There is also information regarding Council Meetings and a call for Accessibility Advisory Committee Members.
Shortly, City Council will begin the budget deliberation process. To me, in its simplest form, a budget is a monetary representation of our priorities and values as a community as it reflects the important investments we make in programs and infrastructure for the benefit of our community. Watch for upcoming information as the process unfolds. I hope you will continue to get involved in our City and remain active citizens in our municipal politics – the system works best when residents are engaged.
Lunar New Year – Year of the Rabbit
On January 22nd, the Lunar New Year will be celebrated as we usher in the Year of the Rabbit. In our multicultural city, we will be privileged to host many different celebrations of this auspicious occasion and I hope you are able to enjoy many of them with your loved ones. To everyone celebrating, I hope that the year ahead holds great prosperity, health, and happiness for your families.
Richmond Hill is turning 150 years old in 2023!
Throughout the year there will be celebrations and events to commemorate our milestone anniversary and you are invited. Share what you love about Richmond Hill in the monthly contest to be entered to win a limited edition Richmond Hill 150 prize pack!
You can also gain an appreciation for our history and the changes over the past 150 years on the self guided Heritage Walking Tour, Museum of the Streets.
Watch the City website and socials for more events throughout 2023.
This monthly e-newsletter is my cost effective way to stay in touch with Richmond Hill residents. I like to limit my physical mailings to be environmentally and fiscally conscious. Please share with anyone you know who would like to receive this mailing and encourage them to sign up to receive the e-newsletter in their inbox.
Thanks for reading!
Sincerely,
Mayor David West
City of Richmond Hill
What’s On in Richmond Hill
If you are working on New Year’s resolutions to be active but don’t want to face the changing weather, you might be interested in the “Walk this Way” program available in January and February at the Ed Sackville Arena.
For outdoor exercise, you can always enjoy the outdoor spaces at our 167 parks, and 162 km of trails. There are lots of ways to enjoy Richmond Hill year round, just make sure you are dressed for the weather and aware of the trail conditions before you head out.
In addition to the outdoor skating available at the Richmond Green Skate trail and other weather dependent locations, here is the schedule of indoor public skate times.
Visit Richmond Green to take in the Richmond Hill Winter Lights. They will continue to light up the heritage walkway in a dazzling light display until March.
When you are planning for PA Days, don’t forget to check and see if the City programmingis of interest to your children. Spots fill up early, so don’t delay!
As you plan your winter fun, hopefully you will enjoy winter in the City and take advantage of the many programs and spaces available.
As the 2022-2026 Term of Council gets underway, I am pleased to share the Committees I will be working on this term. For Richmond Hill, I will serve on the following committees:
-Chair, Affordable Housing Strategy Implementation Committee (AHSIC),
-Audit Committee,
-Vice-chair, of the Budget Committee of the Whole (BCW),
-Economic Development Committee (EDC),
-Heritage Centre Advisory Committee (HCAC)
At the York Regional Level I will act on these Committees:
-Public Works – Environmental Services
-Chair,Housing Affordability Task Force,
-York Region Rapid Transit Corporation,
-Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and
-TRCA’s Partners in Project Green Executive Management Steering Committee
Bill 23 More Homes Built Faster
| Before the holidays, I invited the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Honourable Steve Clark, to City Hall so that I could ensure Richmond Hill’s unique perspective and the concerns of Richmond Hill City Council and residents were clearly stated. After that meeting, I released the following statement. Mayor David West-Statement Together with Richmond Hill Council, York Region Council, my colleagues at the Ontario Big City Mayors, and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, and numerous environmental and housing organizations, we have advised the Provincial Government of the need for growth to fund growth, otherwise our taxpayers will be forced to pay for it or we will do without critical related infrastructure. I will continue to fight for what is best for Richmond Hill; affordable housing that does not compromise services, our environment, or our pocketbooks. I encourage you to express any concerns you have about this legislation to your local MPPs.Follow my social media and the Ontario Big City Mayors for the latest news about Bill23. |
Council Meetings
| Council meetings are held on Wednesdays, commencing January 18th. For the details such as the agenda and link to view online or register to appear as a delegation, please visit the City website. |
Access Council meeting videos
-Vice-chair, of the Budget Committee of the Whole (BCW),
Accessibility Advisory Committee Information Session
The deadline for applications is January 16th. Learn more and apply online or request a hard copy of the application forms.
Let’s continue to SHOW our diversity, our equity, and
our inclusive attitudes through actions.
#InclusiveRH
Reena is 50!
On January 18th, we will acknowledge the 50 years of work this non-profit organization has committed to promoting dignity, individuality, independence, personal growth, and community inclusion for people with diverse abilities.
Thank you for your ongoing work to offer developmental services in our communities.
Visit Reena.org to learn more and support this fantastic organization.
#InclusiveRH
| OnRichmondHill.com has listings of events and activities year round, and you can sign up for the newsletter to stay informed about what’s happening in your City. |
Richmond Hill Winter Carnival is Back!
This is a February event, but you will want to mark your calendars early! The Winter Carnival is near to my heart, I have volunteered for this terrific family friendly (and weather dependent!) Annual Winter Carnival for years. There are outdoor activities for all ages, contests, demonstrations, shows, and selfie stations!
This free Festival is on:
- Saturday February 4th, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Sunday February 5th, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Read more about the details of the weekend here.
See you there!
| For some indoor entertainment, don’t forget to take in some of our local theatre productions at both the The Richmond Hill Centre for Performance Arts RHCPA – Prophecy Fog and the Curtain Club Theatre Curtain Club-Surrender Dorothy |
January Dates
Canada recognizes January as Tamil Heritage Month. I am honoured to join our vibrant Tamil community on January 7th at the Opening Ceremony of the 14th Annual Tamil Heritage Month celebration here in York Region and January 15th at the York Community Tamil Senior Association’s Thai Pongal celebration.
In recognition of this year’s theme, Tamils in Trade and Commerce: Past, Present and Future, I invite you to join the “#THM2023” Social Media Challenge by simply sharing a Tamil business leader or Tamil business in your area onto your social media channels. Tamil Civic Action
January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. I think everyone I know has been touched by the impact of this disease. During this month, the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada encourages us to learn more about how dementia impacts Canadians.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Day takes place on January 27, marking the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and pays tribute to the memory of the victims of the Holocaust. It is a day to reaffirm our commitment to address acts of anti-Semitism, racism, and other forms of intolerance.
January 29 is the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia. In 2017 on that date, a gunman opened fire at the Grand Mosque in Quebec City in a senseless act of Islamophobia that took the lives of six people and seriously injured 19 others.
For a list of the commemorative dates recognized by the Canadian government, I encourage you to visit the Canadian heritage website. Similarly, Ontario recognizes many dates that we celebrate provincially.
I continue to make note of Federal and Provincial Heritage Dates because as Canadians, we celebrate each other, our diversity, and our inclusive attitudes. It is helpful to build an appreciation of all the heritages, cultures, and events that have shaped our history and may influence our future as we continue to grow and diversify.
Do you have Cough, Cold, or Flu symptoms?
| Mackenzie Health has a Cough, Cold, and Flu Assessment Centre at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. If you need to see a doctor, but don’t need emergency care, book an appointment online 7 days a week, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. As always, if you need emergency care, the Emergency Department is open 24/7. |
Snow, snow, snow…
Did You Know?
#DYK? Richmond Hill Snow Facts
• The City uses 24 road plows, 35 sidewalk plows and 35 windrow machines to keep our City safe during the winter.
• Salt trucks are calibrated to control salt spread. The City uses treated salt, which works in colder temperatures and requires less salt to be applied to our roads and sidewalks.
• The City will declare a winter event when more than 5cm of snow is in the forecast and plowing is expected.
• Primary roads and sidewalks are plowed and salted first, followed by secondary roads and sidewalks.
• With the “Track my Plow” you can easily check the status of your street cleaning
Richmond Hill December Events
Here are a few of the events I was privileged to participate in lately, on behalf of the City of Richmond Hill
Important Numbers and Information
ACCESS Richmond Hill
905-771-8800
Ac****@Ri**********.ca
City services, updates on damaged City property, snow clearing, streetlight maintenance
Animal Services
905-832-2281
Animal control and shelter services contracted through City of Vaughan
Alectra Utilities
1-833-253-2872
Hydro outage information, downed power lines
Inclement Weather Hotline
905-771-5487
City facility closures and recreation program cancellations
Parking Control
905-771-8860
Cars parked illegally on the street
York Region Roads
1-877-464-9675 ext 75200
Snow removal on regional roads
York Region Transit/Viva
905-762-2100
Snow removal at bus stops
