DDO Ongoing Projects

The DDO Park includes the 40 hectares (approximately 100 acres) of land that was protected from development.

DDO Park Master Plan

The DDO Park Master Plan sets out a vision for the future enhancement, management and programming of the DDO Park.

The Master Plan was developed through a process that involved extensive public consultation and was approved by Council on September 26, 2016.

• DDO Park Master Plan
• Minutes of Settlement
• DDO Principles and Options Report

DDO Woodlot Restoration Project

Woodlot restoration and removal of dead/hazardous trees will be taking place in the David Dunlap Observatory (DDO) Park over the next few years.

Why is this work being undertaken?

Preserving and enhancing natural areas is one of eight key principles in the DDO Park Master Plan. There are currently many trees on the property which are in poor and/or hazardous condition due to infestations and storm damage. As a result, the forest is in poor health and vulnerable to undesirable plants which grow aggressively and have the ability to destroy the park's unique environment.

Richmond Hill is developing and implementing a long-term plan to restore the woodlands to a healthy forest. Work will include:

• Hazardous tree and debris removal
• Herbicide treatment
• Tree planting
• Monitoring

While this work will change the appearance of the forest, it is a temporary and necessary step to create space for new native trees that will enhance the DDO Park.

Tree removals and planting by the developer

Starting the week of April 23, the developer's contractor, MBTW (Landscape Architecture Branch) will be removing dead and hazardous trees along the edges of the development area (see map - Hazard Tree Removal). Richmond Hill and TRCA staff have assessed the trees and determined them to be dead/hazardous or dying Ash trees, which pose a risk of falling. They are being removed as a measure of safety.

Also at the end of April, the developer's contractor will be planting a mix of large evergreen and deciduous trees in the woodlot in the southeast section of the park (see map - Phase 1 Restoration). They will follow a strategic planting plan designed to create a buffer that will thicken over time between existing homes and the future development. The planting will also improve wildlife habitat and enhance the quality of the woodlot.

Spring 2018 woodlot restoration activities

In May, a wide variety of smaller native trees and shrubs (evergreens and deciduous) will be planted by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), working on behalf of the Town, to replace the dead trees and invasive plants that were removed last fall. The planting plan will include a mix of potted plant stock and small saplings that will  enhance the natural buffer, improve the natural aesthetic of the area and provide habitat for local wildlife as the trees grow over time.

In addition, the TRCA will be spot treating invasive plants with herbicide in the woodlot in order to control their spread and decrease competition with more desirable plantings.

View the DDO Park Hazard Tree Removal and Phase 1 Woodlot Restoration Map 

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Access Richmond Hill at 905-771-8800 or email naturalenvironment@richmondhill.ca.

Observatory Hill Subdivision

In April 2010, Corsica submitted Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to Richmond Hill for the DDO property. The original proposal submitted by Corsica included 833 homes spread out across the majority of the DDO site. The proposal was rejected by Council and Corsica appealed this decision to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB).

Through the OMB's mediation process, five parties to the appeal (Town of Richmond Hill, Corsica Developments Inc., Toronto and Region Conservation, the Region of York and the DDO Defenders) reached an agreement for the future of the property.

The agreement proposed that 56 per cent of the property (the western portion) would become a public park while the development of 530 homes would be allowed on the eastern portion of the property. The agreement is illustrated in the Settlement Plan. 

The Settlement Plan preserves all of Richmond Hill's cultural heritage interests, provides for a large public park, and protects most of the natural features on the site. On May 1, 2013 the OMB released their decision in support of the Settlement Plan calling it "good planning" and "in the public interest".