Richmond Hill's 150th Anniversary

No purchase required. To enter the Contest, participants must complete the online survey that includes providing your name and contact information (e-mail address and/or phone number).

To be valid, your entry must be received by 4:30 p.m. EST on the 23^rd of each month, 2023 by completing the survey provided.

While multiple survey submissions may be made per household, only one prize can be won within a household.

On the 23^rd day of each month, 2023 a random draw will be conducted by a member of the Communications team of the Corporation from among all eligible entries received during the Contest Period. The first selected contestant to correctly answer the mandatory mathematical skill-testing question shall be declared the winner, subject to meeting all the conditions described in these rules.

The winner will be contacted by staff of the Corporation through the email or phone number provided when they submitted their entry, during the week of the draw, and the prize will be ready for pickup by the winner by the 7^th of each month, 2023. If a winner cannot be reached within three (3) days following the first attempt of contact, incorrectly answers the mathematical skill-testing question, or declines the prize, the prize shall be forfeited and the Corporation has the right, at its sole discretion, to randomly select another winner.

1. To be declared a winner, the selected contestant must first correctly answer a mathematical skill-testing question.
2. Each winner shall sign a release declaring their eligibility as stipulated in Section 2 (Eligibility) of these rules; agreeing that their name, image may be used for advertising purposes related to this Contest free of charge; and releasing the Corporation as well as its respective directors, officers and employees (the “Contest Parties”) from all liability for any damage or loss arising from participation in this Contest or from the awarding, acceptance or use of the prize.
3.  The prize(s) shall be accepted as is. No substitutions will be allowed.
4. If the prize cannot be awarded as described in these rules, the Corporation reserves the right to substitute a prize or prize component with another of comparable value, as determined in its sole discretion.
5. Refusal to accept the prize releases the Contest Parties from any obligation toward the winner.
6. If a contestant makes any false statement, (s)he will be automatically disqualified from the Contest. The winner will have to validate their date of birth and mailing address prior to receiving the prize.
7. The Contest Parties assume no liability for any loss, damage or injury, including without limitation:
   • lost, stolen, delayed, damaged, misdirected, late, destroyed, illegible or incomplete entries;
   • loss, theft or damage to software or computer or telephone data, including any breach of privacy;
   • fraudulent calls;
   • inability of any person to participate in the Contest for any reason including mistaken addresses on mail or email; technical, computer or telephone malfunctions or other problems with computer online systems, servers, access providers, computer equipment, or software; congestion on the internet or at any website, or any combination of the foregoing;
   • damage to any person’s computer, including as a result of playing or downloading any material relating to the Contest;
   • any delay or inability to act resulting from any event or situation beyond their control whatsoever, including a public health or other emergency, or strike, lockout or other labour dispute at their location or the locations of the organizations and businesses whose services are used to administer this Contest; or
   • prizes that are lost, damaged or misdirected during shipping.
8. The Corporation reserves the right to cancel or suspend this Contest should a virus, bug or other cause beyond their reasonable control corrupt the security or proper administration of the Contest. Any attempt to deliberately damage any website or to undermine the legitimate operation of this Contest is a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such an attempt be made, the Corporation reserves the right to seek remedies and damages to the fullest extent permitted by law, including criminal prosecution.
9. All personal information, such as name and contact information, is collected by the Corporation solely for the purposes of administering this Contest and shall not be used for any other purpose without your expressed consent. By providing this information, you consent to it being used for the stated purposes. Please see the Corporation’s’ privacy policy on our Privacy Statement page.
10. If the identity of a contestant is disputed, the authorized account holder of the social media platform used to submit the entry at the time of entry will be deemed to be the contestant. The individual assigned to the social media platform associated with the submitted account is considered the authorized account holder. A selected contestant may be required to provide proof that (s)he is the authorized account holder of the social media account associated with the selected entry. All entries must be submitted from a valid email account that may be identified by reverse domain name search. The sole determinant of time for the purposes of receipt of a valid entry in this Contest will be the Contest server.
11. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries. All entries that are incomplete, illegible, damaged, irregular, have been submitted through illicit means, using any robotic, automatic programmed method that artificially increases the odds of winning or do not conform to or satisfy any condition of the rules may be disqualified by the Corporation. The Corporation is not responsible for any errors or omissions in printing or advertising this Contest.
12. The Corporation reserves the right to amend the Contest rules or to terminate the Contest at any time without any liability to any contestant. Any amendments to these Contest rules will be posted here.
13. By entering, you agree to abide by the Contest rules and the decisions of the City, whose decisions are final and binding on all contestants.

Community Mural Project at Richmond Green 

The City commissioned York Region-based artist Chris Perez to paint an outdoor, large community mural. Chris is a Canadian-Filipino artist practicing in abstract painting and mural art. His influences are derived from street art, graffiti, murals, abstract art, and expressionist painting. He primarily uses latex, acrylics, and spray paint as his main mediums and has more than a decade's experience painting murals from residential to commercial and interior and exterior surfaces. He is currently developing a series of artwork that revolves around public art, and accessibility. 

About the Mural 

The mural was painted over a two-week period in July 2023 and represents the rich history of Richmond Hill. A nod to our past, present and future, the design features the radial train, iconic landmarks like the Richmond Hill David Dunlap Observatory, and elements of the City’s natural environment. It also includes roses commemorating Richmond Hill once being dubbed the “Rose Capital of Canada”, and wheat sheaths symbolizing the City’s humble beginnings as a farming town.

"Drawing inspiration from the vibrant history of Richmond Hill, my art celebrates the cherished heritage and culture that define this community. Through a fusion of colours, symbols, and historic narratives, I seek to evoke a proud sense of belonging, weaving together a tapestry of collective identity." - Chris Perez, Artist

Dimensions: 56’ x 18’ 

Material: Aluminum siding, corrugated

Location: Sports Centre Building (Front/South-Facing Wall, on the East side), Richmond Green Sports Centre and Arena

1300 Elgin Mills Road East, Richmond Hill, ON L4S 1M5

Watch the mural come to life

City Park Storage Bunkers

Six local artists have been selected to paint concrete storage bunkers located in City Parks.

Murals are to be painted from August 17 to 31, 2023 and unveiled during Culture Days. 

Dimensions: Approx. 6’ H x 5’ W x 8’ L

Material: Concrete

Artists will be asked to paint all sides.

Locations:

Ward 1 - Pine Farm Park (25 Ashfield Drive)

• Artist: Joaquin Varela
  

  Joaquín Varela is a Latinx visual artist, educator, placemaker and nature interpreter. Joaquín leads and facilitates workshops and classes in communities all over Toronto and is the co-founder of Roots To Bloom, a collective that aims to cultivate crucial relationships to the land and collective stewardship through placed-based community art-making. 

Ward 2 - Town Park (102 Centre Street East)

• Artist: Phoebe Lau
  

  Phoebe Lau is a Markham-based visual artist. Her works are flowy, colourful and fun. She is always curious about relationships to spaces and objects, and interested in how we can make the built environment more sustainable, interactive and inclusive to enhance the wellbeing of people and wildlife. 

Ward 3 - Eyer Homestead Ropes Course Bunker (1045 Elgin Mills Road East)

• Artist: Sheryln Hu
  

  Sherlyn Hu, MSW, RSW is a Chinese-Canadian social worker, educator, and grant-winning artist of immigrant background. She obtained her Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto and has completed preliminary coursework in children's illustration at George Brown College. 

Ward 4 - Bradstock Park (194 A Driscoll Road)

• Artist: Monica Pramanick
  

  Moe Pramanick is a Sindhi-Bengali visual artist from Markham, now based in Toronto. Her art practice is about seeing and documenting her people as beautiful and funky, resisting, and in-transition. 

Ward 5 - Morgan Boyle Park (5 B Pearson Avenue)

• Artist: Sarah Alinia Ziazi
  

  Sarah Alinia Ziazi is a first-generation Toronto Muralist of Iranian-Indian heritage who holds a BDs in Illustration from OCAD University. She is passionate about creating images from personal experiences to conceptual narratives. 

Ward 6 - David Hamilton Park (311 Valleymede Drive)

• Artist: Natasha Pelley-Smith
  

  Natasha Pelley-Smith is a multidisciplinary artist shaped by a rich tapestry of cultural influences. Born in Toronto, her artistic journey has been influenced by her Jamaican, Newfoundlander, and Indigenous roots, playing a pivotal role in her creative development. 

Bell Box Community Murals

Murals are to be painted from August 17 to 31, 2023 and unveiled during Culture Days. 

Dimensions: Approx. 6’ H x 5’ W

Material: Metal

Artists will be asked to paint all sides.

Please note themes not permitted include: political or religious themes; names, logos, or brand IDs; faces or recognizable people. These are requirements of Bell Canada.

Locations:

Ward 1 - Yonge and Estate Garden 360-5

• Artist: Jing Fu
  

  Jing Fu is a highly skilled and experienced artist who leads the Jingfu Art Studio. With a passion for both Eastern and Western artistic traditions, she creates stunning paintings that are characterized by their vibrant colours, bold brushstrokes, and intricate details. 

Ward 2 - Newkirk and Crosby 201-2

• Artist: Ruth Toy
  

  Ruth Toy is both an artist and an art instructor whose style gravitates towards figurative work, stylized realism and illustration work that is strong in colour and contrast. She has taught middle school and high school art, community classes, paint nights, and with residents at retirement homes. 

Ward 3 - Shirley and Golden Oak 304-1

• Artist: Eduardo Diaz Ocampo
  

  Eduardo Diaz Ocampo has his own art company called ''Mr. Laylo's Artistry Co.'' He has painted numerous outdoor murals across Canada and the United States, including restaurants, lounges, residential walls, outdoor fences, outdoor walls, festivals, and food trucks. He has also instructed workshops with Richmond Hill Public Library on the art of spray painting. 

Ward 4 - Richmond St. 101-1

• Artist: Gloria Hope
  

  Gloria Hope is an Indigenous visual artist, sculptor, mural painter, author/illustrator and facilitator of art and nature. Gloria’s focus is centered on connecting children to the natural world, merging the elements of nature, art, storytelling and visualization to stir the imagination. 

Ward 5 - Weldrick and Avenue 403-2

• Artist: Robin Hesse
  

  Robin Hesse is a Richmond Hill resident whose practice focuses on community themed mural projects, which she executes in the summer months. Many of her brightly coloured murals feature simple site-specific designs, commissioned by both public and private venues. 

Ward 6 - Highway 7 and Leslie 120-7

• Artist: Ghazaleh Rastgar
  

  Ghazaleh Rastgar is an award winning multidisciplinary artist from Shiraz, Iran, now based in Richmond Hill/Toronto. Her passion for visual arts draws inspiration from nature, the human body, sensuality, and contemplating life as an Iranian woman. 

Submissions are closed. Thank you to all of our artistic applicants! 

Artist submissions were reviewed and selected by a jury of staff and community members with an arts and culture background.

Submissions were evaluated on the following:

• Connection to Richmond Hill
• Experience painting outdoor surfaces
• Mural concept
• Portfolio of past work

Applicants of the Community Mural Project were advised by April 20, 2023, and applicants for the Storage Bunker and Bell Box Mural Projects were contacted by June 30, 2023.

Artist applicants had to reside in York Region and be able to demonstrate connection to Richmond Hill. Artists had to adhere to the City's project timelines and schedule provided. City of Richmond Hill employees were not eligible to apply. 

Additional information for selected artists:

• Paint and primer are provided, where applicable
• Mural concepts may be transferred to alternate mediums for application or mounting purposes
• Artists supply their own brushes and tools
• Mural lifespan is not confirmed