October 24, 2007
www.yorkregion.com - By David Fleischer

Richmond Hill's plan by the people, for the people.

If the goal of those behind Richmond Hill’s new strategic plan is to get you involved in writing the document, they are off to a good start.

I have seen public meetings where no one comes out and I have seen meetings where people only come out to gripe. But, on Tuesday night nearly 150 local residents packed the McConaghy Centre to offer heartfelt thoughts on what they love about Richmond Hill and how it can be even better.

On paper, the strategic plan is what provides the framework for what the town should be striving for in the coming years.

On the ground, the “People Plan” is all about getting you out and talking about what that vision should be.

Public meetings, either because of the issue being debated or the format itself, often can be adversarial affairs, but this was nothing of the kind.

Thinking of the public meetings I have been to over the years I can’t think of any others that include pastries and a musical duo playing standards like “Fly Me to the Moon” in the lobby.

Rather, this was dozens of people who care about their community working not to promote their point of view, but rather to come up with a true product of collaboration.

“Tonight we are coming out from behind our desks,” said Mayor Dave Barrow at the outset.

“We want to listen to each other and hear each other.”

Each table had a facilitator, either a member of council or senior staff. I was lucky enough to have planning commissioner David Collinson as well as Ward 3 Councillor David Cohen at mine.

The five residents at my table provided a great cross-section. Two new residents — Frans Clements and James Liebenberg — sat alongside 49-year resident Rhelda Stockall.

Throughout the room there was a mix of private citizens and those representing organizations.

Mr. Clements, for example, said he was there because of his personal desire to have input into the town’s development, but also as a representative of the Community Christian Reform Church.

Bayview Secondary student Yasmin Samiee is a member of the town’s Youth Action Committee, while Lorris Herenda is the executive director of the Yellow Brick House emergency shelters.

Mr. Barrow made it clear that the plan is not about zoning or land-use.

“Planning is ultimately about people and their well-being,” he said.

Accordingly, this plan will focus upon three pillars: people, environment, economy.

Once it is complete it is expected to go to council next June. That will then be part of approximately two years of work developing a new official plan.

That plan will lay out the development of Richmond Hill over the next 25 years in concrete terms.

Our first activity on that long road was to look at the aerial photo of Richmond Hill on the table and to indicate where we live and/or work as well as our favourite place in the town.

My table-mates came from all over but most of the favourite places tended to be in the village core and around the Mill Pond.

The Liberal offices are near Leslie Street and 16th Avenue so I marked my sticker there and put a sticky note over the downtown area.

Each table was then asked to answer one of five questions, each geared towards getting at what the town’s best qualities are and what needs to be improved.

After about an hour, the tables reported back on what they had come up with.

The issues our table focused upon tended to be heard over and over again:

• Protect green spaces and make them accessible

• Protect the town’s heritage, including the David Dunlap Observatory lands

• Provide social services for the community and new immigrants

• Improve public transit

• Get youth more involved

Graduate planning students will be acting as ambassadors for the People Plan and the latter idea is something the town is obviously keen on.

Mr. Cohen was adamant that youth can communicate better with each other than any professionals can and hoped Ms Samiee would help the town develop its website.

And no one bolted for the doors when the exercises where complete. On the contrary, they lingered in the hall and outside in the lobby where there were two large People Plan cakes ready for the eating.

Town staff are willing to meet with community groups, doing targeted presentations for those who want to get involved and three public meetings will be held next month giving you a chance to get out.

The next public information session will be held on Nov. 1 at the town offices, from 7 to 9 p.m.

To get information visit www.richmondhill.com/peopleplan or call the town at 905-771-8800.

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