Town Honoured With Snow Storage Facility Award
February 2008

Council was presented with the 2007 Ontario Public Works Association (OPWA) Technical Innovation Award for the Town’s nationally-recognized Snow Storage Facility project. The Town’s Snow Storage Facility is a leading, innovative technology and the only one of its kind in Canada. The Snow Storage Facility earned the award for being an innovation of proven success of a significant advance in public works service. The project began last winter when the Town was chosen by Environment Canada for their pollution reduction study arising from snow disposal site runoff. Instead of allowing melt water to drain directly into storm sewers like most sites, the Town’s state-of-the-art snow storage disposal site includes an impervious deck to protect underlying ground water from the melt water and instead directs the collected runoff through a Stormceptor unit (oil/grit separator) and a water quality pond, eventually discharging as clean water into a tributary of the Rouge River. It is intended that once Environment Canada’s research is complete, Richmond Hill’s Snow Storage Facility will be promoted as the Canadian demonstration project for snow storage and road salt management.

People Plan Richmond Hill Summit
November / December 2007

The People Plan Summit brought together more than 60 individual participants and groups representing many different facets of community interest including the arts, culture, business, residential neighbourhoods, the environment and recreation. Throughout this program of public discussion, invited participants shared their thoughts about what Richmond Hill should be like in the future. With the assistance of a third-party consultant, participants engaged in various table-top group activities with the intent to gather information on the core strengths of Richmond Hill, the opportunities for change, and the challenges for the future. They also developed benchmarks for success of the implementation of the People Plan. The Summit is the next step in the People Plan Richmond Hill project, taking the visions outlined at the recent launch and open houses and developing concrete ideas and actions to achieve them.

iTrans Shares Award with the Town
November 2007

At the November 12, 2007 Council Meeting, iTRANS Consulting shared an award they received from the Consulting Engineers of Ontario with Council recognizing the Town’s 2006 Transportation Master Plan (TMP). The 2006 TMP, prepared by iTRANS Consulting whom the Town hired, provides a road map to accommodate travel demand in the Town over the next 15 to 20 years. As the population and employment continues to grow, additional pressures will be placed on the Town's road system by cars, trucks, pedestrians and cyclists. The objectives of the Transportation Master Plan are to enhance the accessibility of the Town to accommodate its rapidly growing population. For more information and to view the Town’s Transporation Master Plan, click here.

Tastes of the Hill Cheque Presentations
November 2007

On November 12, 2007 Regional & Local Councillor Vito Spatafora presented cheques to the Mayor’s Endowment Fund for the Arts and the Richmond Hill Food Bank from the proceeds of the recently held Tastes of the Hill Multicultural Food Festival. Each group was presented $18,500, making it the largest single cash donation ever to the Food Bank. The Tastes of the Hill event was held on October 14 at the Richmond Green Sports Centre. Festival-goers were able to enjoy a sensational variety of foods from over 40 vendors from Richmond Hill's finest dining establishments.

People Plan Richmond Hill Open House
November 2007

On October 26, nearly 900 members of the community joined Mayor Dave Barrow and Members of Council at the Town's first Eid Dinner Celebration, held in honour of Richmond Hill's Muslim community. The event consisted of a dinner provided by The Host Restaurant, as well as entertainment by local artists Tanveer Badar, Mohammad Hashmi, Hassan Kashani, Junita Ghandi, Shafique Farooqi and Asad. There were also dancers and songs performed by special request in languages such as Urdu, Punjabi, Gujrati and English. Proceeds from the event go to the Mayor’s Endowment Fund for the Arts.

Eid Dinner Celebration
October 2007

On October 26, nearly 900 members of the community joined Mayor Dave Barrow and Members of Council at the Town's first Eid Dinner Celebration, held in honour of Richmond Hill's Muslim community. The event consisted of a dinner provided by The Host Restaurant, as well as entertainment by local artists Tanveer Badar, Mohammad Hashmi, Hassan Kashani, Junita Ghandi, Shafique Farooqi and Asad. There were also dancers and songs performed by special request in languages such as Urdu, Punjabi, Gujrati and English. Proceeds from the event go to the Mayor’s Endowment Fund for the Arts.

Ramadaan, Eid & Thanksgiving
October, 2007

In an initiative started by Mrs. Lubna Malik, award winning architect, artist & poet, Mr. Mustafa Master of Richmond Hill was invited by the Central Library to put up a large display related to Ramadaan & Eid so that the local community can understand some of the basic Islamic cultural & religious background and beliefs as related to this season. >> Full Story

Juvenile Diabetes Ride for a Cure Event
October 2007

Juvenile Diabetes Ride for a Cure Event

Richmond Hill Fire Department Open House
October 6, 2007

Dave Barrow and Sparky enjoying the Fire Department Open House.

Tastes of the Hill
October 4, 2007

On Thursday, October 14, Town of Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow, “Tastes
of the Hill” Chair Vito Spatafora and event sponsor representatives
gathered at The Host Fine Indian Cuisine Restaurant to sample some of the
many food choices that will be available at the upcoming “Tastes of the Hill” Multicultural Food Festival. More Info

Working in Partnership with the Jewish Community
October 1, 2007

York Central Hospital (YCH) is demonstrating its commitment to meeting the community’s cultural needs by providing inclusive, comprehensive and effective care to the rapidly expanding Jewish population in York Region.
>> Full Story

Eid Celebration Dinner Announcement
September 10, 2007

On September 10, 2007 Mayor Dave Barrow announced that he will be hosting the Town’s first Eid Celebration Dinner in honour of Richmond Hill’s Muslim community. Eid is a traditional Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. For Muslims, Eid is a joyous occasion of giving and sharing. It is a day of forgiveness, moral victory, peace of congregation, fellowship, brotherhood and unity. The Mayor is encouraging the community to come out and learn more about Eid. For more information, click here.

Crosby Park Family Fun Day
May 26, 2007

On May 26, 2007, Mayor Barrow, Members of Council, representatives from the Richmond Hill Mobility Accessibility Foundation and community residents came together at the Crosby Park Family Fun Day to celebrate the official groundbreaking and learn more about the upcoming, inclusive new park design. The Town is redeveloping Crosby Park to provide opportunities for recreation, outdoor enjoyment and social interaction for people of all ages and abilities. Residents had the opportunity to learn about some of the exciting new features available in the near future, while also enjoying many fun-filled activities, including: music, hot air balloon rides, face painting, giveaways and a barbecue lunch at no cost. See more pictures here.

Town Unveils New By-law Enforcement ATVs
May 24, 2007

On May 24, 2007, Town of Richmond Hill By-law Officers joined Mayor Dave Barrow, Members of Council and representatives from York Regional Police and Suzuki Canada to unveil new by-law enforcement patrol vehicles and honour Suzuki Canada for their generous donation of the ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles). Town By-law Enforcement staff will now be going off-road to patrol problem areas where it is difficult for officers to reach in a car or on foot. Areas of significant concern include Town parks and trails, vacant private property, as well as Oak Ridges Moraine lands where there is a high usage of motorized vehicles (e.g. ATVs, motocross bikes, snow mobiles, etc.).

York Municipalities Public Works Challenge
May 23, 2007

As part of the 10th Annual National Public Works Week, the Town's Engineering and Public Works department hosted the Public Works Challenge, where staff from other municipalites competed in various obstacle courses using public works equipment. This year, the team from the Town of Newmarket walked away the winners, taking home the coveted Miller Cup.

Also as part of the event, Mayors from all nine area municipalities were joined by the CAO from the Region, to compete in the annual Mayor's Challenge. Town of Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow used home field advantage to walk away with bragging rights and a trophy presented by Enbridge. More Pictures

Girl Guide Emergency Preparedness Badge Presentation
May 7, 2007

As part of the Town's Emergency Preparedness Week (May 6 to 12) celebrations, Mayor Barrow and Members of Council were joined by M.P.P. Monte Kwinter and Deputy Fire Chief, Brian Ellsworth on May 7, to officially present the 6th Richmond Hill Girl Guides with their Emergency Preparedness Challenge badges. With the help of Richmond Hill Fire Department, the Guides learned how to define an emergency, develop family emergency plans, create emergency survival kits, lifesaving skills, water and fire safety, and how to contact emergency services. In order to get their badges, the girls had to create a poster that included items that would go into a 72-hour emergency kit and be able to show what they would do if they were caught in certain emergencies.
Click here to see how the Girl Guides surprised Mayor Barrow.

Youth Friendly Town
May 1, 2007

Mayor Barrow attending the Provincial Award Presentation to Richmond Hill
for being a "Youth Friendly Town"

Earth Day 2007
April 22, 2007

Mayor Barrow with Councillors and Students, planting trees for Earth Day 2007.

Mayor Barrow with Councillors Lynn Foster and Godwin Chan, planting trees with Richmond Hill students on Earth Day 2007.

Mayor's Character in Business Breakfast
April 17, 2007

Come and learn more about the Character in Business program and create a work environment
that: raises morale, values the contributions of everyone, recognizes outstanding achievement increases loyalty and builds a strong team.

Mayor Dave Barrow hosts the Town’s first Nowruz Celebration
March 31, 2007

Over 600 Richmond Hill residents and business owners will joined Town of Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow as he hosted the Town’s first Nowruz Celebration (the traditional Iranian New Year holiday), held in honour of Richmond Hill’s Iranian community.

Mayor Dave Barrow at Character Community Awards Night
March 29, 2007

Mayor Dave Barrow with the Curtain Club, winners of the Pursuing Culture with Character Award.

Ontario Senior Games Winners Presentation
March 26, 2007

On March 26, 2007 on behalf of Council, Mayor Dave Barrow presented Certificates of Appreciation to the Richmond Hill winners of the Ontario Senior Games Winterfest 2007, held February 14-16 in Brockville, Ontario. These 10 winners are active members at McConaghy Seniors’ Centre. In badminton, Art Chepelsky and Birti Somayaji and Ricky Tai won Bronze; Armand Gradinetti and Monica Leung won Gold; and Roberta Simon and Sunny Somayaji won Silver. In table tennis, Ursula Lacock and Emilia Negulescu won Gold. More than 2,000 seniors aged 55 and older competed at Winterfest in activities including, alpine and Nordic skiing, badminton, curling, ice hockey, skating, volleyball, bowling, table tennis, snow shoeing and squash.
More Photos

Richmond Hill Joins Call for Fair Health Care Funding for GTA/905
March 20, 2007

The Town of Richmond Hill Municipal Council has joined a number of other communities across the GTA/905 by unanimously endorsing a resolution calling on the Ontario Government to improve local access to hospital and health care services by addressing the growing gap in health care funding inequities facing residents in Richmond Hill, York Region and other GTA/905 regions.
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Mayor Barrow and Councillor Chan receiving Madame Zhu Taoying, Consul General of China
March 14, 2007

Mayor Barrow and Councillor Chan receiving Madame Zhu Taoying, Consul General of China

Bowl for Kids' Sake Raises $36,000
March 10, 2007

On March 10, 2007, Mayor Dave Barrow and Members of Council participated in the 2007 Bowl for Kids' Sake at the Pro Bowl in Richmond Hill. The Big Brothers, Big Sisters Bowlathon in Richmond Hill Raised
$36,000.00

Mayor Dave Barrow at Chinese New Years Celebration
March 3, 2007

Mayor Dave Barrow giving speech at New Years Celebration

Mayor Barrow Hosts Chinese New Year Celebration
March 1, 2007

On March 1, 2007, Mayor Dave Barrow hosted the first Mayor's Celebration of the Chinese New Year, held in honour of Richmond Hill's Chinese community, at Dun Huang Chinese Cuisine. Proceeds from ticket sales will raise much-needed funds for the arts through the newly-created Mayor’s Endowment Fund for the Arts. The Fund will contribute to the arts in Richmond Hill by providing local arts groups and individual artists with the opportunity to apply for grants to sponsor programs and performances. See More Photos

Moraine for Life Award Presentation
February 26, 2007

On February 26, Council was officially presented with the Moraine for Life award the Town received for its nomination in the Municipal Leadership category from the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation. The Moraine for Life awards are given to recognize an individual, organization or agency that has made a significant contribution to improving the ecology and hydrology of the Moraine and the social well-being of those who live and work on or downstream of the Moraine. The Town was selected based on the leadership demonstrated by the Parks, Recreation & Culture Department in providing stewardship, educational initiatives and community involvement specifically geared toward the Moraine and its surrounding area.
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Bayview Hill Expansion Grand Opening Ceremony
February 21, 2007

Mayor Dave Barrow and Members of Council; Town staff; and representatives from the Centre for Information and Community Services (CICS), Carefirst and the Ontario Trillium Foundation celebrated the official opening of the new addition to Bayview Hill Community Centre on February 21. The centre has added a new wing to house seniors’ programs provided by the Town, in partnership with CICS and Carefirst. The 4,000 square foot addition includes one large program room with a divider wall, and an expanded lobby, all of which are wheelchair accessible.

Liberal Party Leader Stephane Dion Supports Smart Commute 404-7
February 17, 2007

Smart Commute 404-7, a transportation management project of the Richmond Hill Chamber of Commerce and the Markham Board of Trade, was the focus of attention for federal Liberal leader Hon. Stéphane Dion and Richmond Hill M.P. Hon. Bryon Wilfert on February 17. Mr. Dion discussed efforts to alleviate traffic congestion and commuting alternatives: carpooling, walking, cycling and transit. Other commuting alternatives such as, teleworking, flex-time, compressed work weeks, the Lunch Express bus service and the GTA-wide online Carpool Zone were discussed, as well. Also on-hand for the event were Mayor Dave Barrow and Councillors Arnie Warner, David L. Cohen and Godwin Chan.

On February 10, the Honourable Beverly J. Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, presented Mayor Dave Barrow with a cheque in the amount of $2 million to support the construction of the new Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. Canada's New Government provided this financial support through the Cultural Spaces Canada program of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
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Mayor Dave Barrow to Host Chinese New Year Celebration
February 8, 2007

Mayor Dave Barrow is hosting the Town’s first Chinese New Year Celebration at Dun Huang Chinese Cuisine in Richmond Hill on Thursday, March 1, 2007. Held in honour of Richmond Hill’s Chinese community, proceeds from this event will also benefit the Mayor’s Endowment Fund for the Arts.
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On Monday, January 22 the Town of Richmond Hill was presented with a Certificate of Compliance by Jeffrey P. Dick from the Office of the Fire Marshal. The Certificate, which indicates that the Town's Fire Department has, and continues to provide the community with a high quality public education program with respect to fire safety and certain components of fire prevention, was accepted by Mayor Dave Barrow and Deputy Fire Chief, Brian Ellsworth (on behalf of Fire Chief Baker).

Chair Dave Barrow presenting Leo McArthur with the Police Services Board Outstanding Citizen Award.

Dave on Rogers Cable for the Annual Rotary TV auction.

Councillor David Cohen, Councillor Arnie Warner, Mayor Dave Barrow and Regional and Local Councillor Vito Spatafora at a thank you ceremony from the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. Richmond Hill had several bike teams participate including Council.

Town of Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow and Fire Department staff accepted the keys to two Suzuki XL-7 sport utility vehicles generously provided by Suzuki Canada. Read Article

Last night at the Inaugural Meeting of Richmond Hill Council, the newly elected Mayor and Members of Council got down to business by announcing to hundreds of attendees their visions and plans for the Town for the next four years. Read Article