| 2021 |
| Richmond Hill named a Tree City of the World |
| The Arbor Day Foundation has named Richmond Hill a Tree City of the World in recognition of its commitment to growing and maintaining its urban forest. Richmond Hill is one of only 15 cities in Canada to achieve this honour and joins a network of like-minded cities around the globe who recognize the importance of trees in building healthy, resilient and happy communities. Tree Cities of the World is an international program founded by The Arbor Day Foundation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). |
| Richmond Hill Recognized for Conservation of Streams and Wetlands |
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Richmond Hill was recognized by Ontario Streams for the Support in the Conservation of Streams and Wetlands in Ontario. For 25 years, Richmond Hill has partnered with Ontario Streams environmental rehabilitation and education initiatives through the Community Stewardship Program. Over 36,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted with the help of over 3,800 community volunteers. The partnership has enhanced and rehabilitated aquatic habitat throughout the Humber, Don, and Rouge River watersheds leaving a legacy of environmental conservation throughout communities in the City of Richmond Hill.
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Ontario Public Works Association Recognizes Two Richmond Hill Construction Projects
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Richmond Hill won two Project of the Year Awards from the Ontario Public Works Association. The awards were presented for the Major Mackenzie Drive Watermain Replacement project and the Pedestrian Bridge as part of the Lennox Park Revitalization project. The 2021 awards were presented in May 2022.
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Richmond Hill Recognized for Building a ClimateWise City
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In 2021, the Richmond Hill was recognized by the ClimateWise Business Network with the Mayors’ Energy Challenge Advocate Award for encouraging businesses to participate in the Energy and Water Benchmarking Reporting program. Richmond Hill also walked the talk by participating in the Mayor’s Energy Challenge and was recognized with the Lowest Energy Use Intensity Leader Award for our main Municipal Offices under the ClimateWise Business Network’s Mayors’ Energy Challenge Program.
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| 2019 |
| Richmond Hill Wins Award for its Restoration Efforts |
| Richmond Hill was awarded the Founders Conservation Award by the North American Native Plant Society for Richmond Hill’s Community Stewardship Program. The award recognizes the extraordinary contribution of the Community Stewardship Program to the conservation, protection and restoration of the natural heritage and native flora of North America. The program works with partner agencies and community volunteers to improve our local environment by planting trees, shrubs and wildflowers; cleaning up streams and removing invasive plants from our parks and natural areas. |
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| 2018 |
| Richmond Hill Wins Three Environment Awards |
| On April 9, 2019, Council was presented with three awards for a range of environmental initiatives, including the International Society of Arboriculture Gold Leaf Award and the Tree Canada Public Education Award for Richmond Hill’s Community Stewardship Program and the Ontario Public Works Association (OPWA) Project of the Year Award in the Environment category for Richmond Hill’s Elgin Mills Greenway project. The International Society of Arboriculture Gold Leaf Award recognizes outstanding landscape activities that have made a significant impact within a community over a number of years. The Tree Canada Public Education Award recognizes excellence in public education initiatives that broaden the public’s understanding of the value of the urban forest. The third award was received from the Ontario Public Works Association (OPWA) in the Environment category for a new stormwater management system and trail network within the Elgin Mills Greenway. |
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| 2017 |
| 10 Communications Awards |
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Richmond Hill was recognized with 10 communications awards for a wide range of projects, including the City's new website that was launched in fall 2016. Richmond Hill received a Gold Marcom Award for the LED Streetlights project video, Gold Hermes Creative Awards for a Dog License Social Media campaign and the Access Richmond Hill Car Wrap. For the City's new website, Richmond Hill received a Gold Hermes Award in the government category, an AVA Digital Award in the government category, an Outstanding Website and a Government Standard of Excellence from WebAward (Web Marketing Association) and a Silver Leaf Award of Excellence from the International Association of Business Communicators (Canada). Richmond Hill also received an Honourable Mention from Hermes Creative Award for a Stormwater Education Board and an Honourable mention from Hermes Creative Award for the website's homepage. For more information, contact Meeta Gandhi, Director of Communication Services, at 905-747-6311.
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| National Public Works Week Award |
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Mayor Barrow and Richmond Hill's National Public Works Week (NPWW) Organizing Committee were presented with a Canadian Public Works Association's (CPWA) award for this year's Public Works campaign and celebration. This marks the second year in a row Richmond Hill has won the top award for medium-sized municipalities (population 75,000 to 250,000). Richmond Hill's 2017 National Public Works Week events, including the NPWW Open House and Healthy Yards event, were held in May. NPWW highlights the important role Public Works professionals play in everyday life and illustrates how they contribute to building vibrant, connected and sustainable communities. The events also raised $2000 for Hill House Hospice. For more information about National Public Works Week in Richmond Hill, visit RichmondHill.ca/NPWW or contact Mario DiSalvo, National Public Works Week Committee Chair, at 905-780-2949 or mario.disalvo@richmondhill.ca.
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| Award-Winning Park Designs |
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Richmond Hill has been awarded by the Ontario Concrete Industry for Outstanding Architectural Hardscaping at Rouge Crest Park. The park's design was inspired and based on patterns found in nature which are interwoven into surface treatments, vertical structures, play areas and site furniture. For example, the ripple pattern on the seating walls, honeycomb pattern on some of the walls and the abstracted pattern of a braided stream in the waterplay area's cast-in-place concrete pad. Richmond Hill has also been recognized by Parks and Recreation Ontario and Landscape Ontario with Awards of Excellence for Lake Wilcox Promenade. The themes of water, wildlife, journey and cultural heritage formed the basis for the design. The Lake Wilcox Waterfront Promenade demonstrates initiative in protecting, preserving and enhancing the inherent natural resources of the Oak Ridges Moraine while balancing the recreational needs of the local community. The main promenade is comprised of custom shapes, colours and patterns along the length of the concrete walkway which reflects a "wooden boardwalk" in a natural setting. There are engravings with inspirational quotations that dot the promenade, concrete benches and large themed precast pavers along the walkway. For more information, contact Italo Brutto, Commissioner of Environment and Infrastructure Services at 905-771-2527.
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| 2016 |
| Award-winning Guide for New Businesses Brings Business to Richmond Hill |
| For its Guide for New Businesses, Richmond Hill received a Gold Excellence in Economic Development Award in the category of Special Purpose Print Brochure from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). In an effort to attract and retain new businesses to Richmond Hill, Economic Development created an easy-to-use guide to help businesses understand what they need to know and do before moving to Richmond Hill. The Guide for New Businesses is the first of its kind in York Region and surrounding regions; municipalities as far away as Virginia, USA are considering creating their own version. It provides specific content for companies moving to an existing space and also those designing a new building. Available in an electronic format, the guide provides links to valuable information and relevant forms including specifics on finding the right location, zoning guidelines, building and occupancy permits and key business resources and contacts. IEDC's Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world's best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials and the year's most influential leaders. These awards honour organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in their communities. |
| Richmond Hill's 2016 National Public Works Week Recognized with a National Award! |
| Mayor Barrow and Richmond Hill's National Public Works Week (NPWW) Organizing Committee were presented with the Canadian Public Works Association's (CPWA) highest award for this year's Public Works program. Richmond Hill's National Public Works Week events were held in May and included the NPWW Open House and Healthy Yards event, the York Municipal Public Works Challenge and school Tours for Grades 5 and 10 students. The events also raised funds for two charities (Hill House Hospice and the Canadian Red Cross for Fort McMurray Fire Relief efforts). Richmond Hill's 2016 NPWW activities and celebration competed for the national award with other Canadian municipalities that entered in the Medium Centre category for municipalities with populations of 75,001 - 250,000. NPWW highlights the important role Public Works professionals play in everyday life and illustrates how they contribute to building vibrant, connected and sustainable communities. |
| Richmond Hill Wins Awards for Communication |
| Richmond Hill was presented with five communication awards representing a wide range of projects. Richmond Hill received a Hermes platinum award for the Terry Fox Tribute communication products and a gold award for the Studio Tour 2015 promotional material. Honourable mention awards were also received for the Responsible Pet Ownership embroidery patch for Scout and Guide groups, the Richmond Hill Blooms integrated communication material and the environment video: "Out of a Fallen Tree, New Things Come to Life." In addition, Richmond Hill won a Gold AVA digital award for the wood chips promotional video which invites residents to pick up free wood chips at Richmond Green. The video has had more than 1000 views since it was released last fall. The AVA Digital Awards and the Hermes Creative Awards recognize excellence by creative professionals responsible for the planning, concept, design and production of digital and traditional communications. The international competition is administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. |
| Richmond Hill Wins Awards for Sustainability Metrics |
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At the April 25, 2016 Council meeting, Mayor Dave Barrow accepted the Excellence in Sustainability Award (Sustainable Policy, Law or Plan) for Richmond Hill's collaboration with the Cities of Brampton and Vaughan in developing a set of performance tools to ensure new development helps create healthier, sustainable communities through a project called "Measuring the Sustainability Performance of New Developments." This project has been recognized by the American Planning Association (APA). The tool will be used by all three municipalities to quantify the sustainability of new development projects by using criteria, and calculating the score of each proposed application, ensuring it meets Richmond Hill's sustainability standards.
At the meeting this project also received the Excellence in Planning Award (Research and New Directions) from the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI).
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| Richmond Hill Wins Awards for Top Notch Community Events |
| On April 25, 2016, Council congratulated three of Richmond Hill's most popular events that were recognized as one of the Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario designation from Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO): the 2015 Canada Day Celebrations is its largest, single-day festival, attracting close to 40,000 visitors; the fourth annual Richmond Hill Ribfest at Richmond Green Park is one of the most-anticipated outdoor summer events in the community; and Richmond Hill's Tastes of the Hill, which has evolved from an indoor food festival into an outdoor multicultural festival celebrating Richmond Hill's diverse, multicultural community while supporting worthy causes. In the past nine years, the festival raised a total of more than $440,000, which has been redirected to local charities. |
| Richmond Hill Honoured for Innovative Design at Rouge Crest Park |
| Richmond Hill Council accepted an Award of Excellence from Parks and Recreation Ontario (PRO) acknowledging the effort of Richmond Hill staff and the consultant project team for the "unique, sustainable and innovative design" of Rouge Crest Park. The Park, located in Yonge Street and Gamble Road area, was Rouge Crest Park supports both structured and unstructured creative and imaginative play for all ages. Play features and facilities include a senior lit soccer field, multi-sport court, customized linear play structure, junior play structure, water play area and ping pong tables. Environmental stewardship is demonstrated through sustainable initiatives integrated throughout the park, including permeable surfaces and features in the parking lot which will reduce surface runoff by reducing flows and improving quality. Water from the water play feature will be captured, filtered and reused. The park's carbon footprint is further reduced by native plantings, a rain garden, and the use of recycled rubber tiles in the swing court and play areas. |
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| 2015 |
| Double Gold for Richmond Hill! |
| On January 26, 2015, Council was presented with 2014 MarCom Gold Awards for two communication-focused projects - Ice Storm 2013 communications and the new Film Location Resource Guide! MarCom Awards honour excellence and recognize outstanding creative achievement by marketing and communications professionals internationally. Throughout the response and recovery phases of the Ice Storm, Richmond Hill used a variety of tactics to communicate with residents and businesses about power outages, warming centres, winter maintenance, tree damage, etc. The new Film Location Resource Guide promotes Richmond Hill as the ideal location for film production in Ontario. |
| Making a Great Permanent Impression |
| On January 26, 2015, on behalf of Council and staff, Mayor Barrow accepted the Architectural Hardscape Award by the Ontario Concrete Industry for Richmond Hill's innovative use of concrete materials through landscaping and art work in its Lake Wilcox Waterfront Promenade. Some of the many ways Richmond Hill used concrete in the design features in the park include human and animal footprints embedded along the path as well as inspirational poems and quotes about the nature and history of the site sandblasted into the concrete pavement. The Promenade also showcases artistic coloured concrete designs highlighting the themes of water, wildlife and cultural history of the lake area. It also features unique concrete pavement and seats that can be found along the walkway. |
| Richmond Hill Wins Award for Innovative Stormwater Project |
| On March 30, 2015, Council was presented the Ontario Public Works Association (OPWA) 2014 Project of the Year Award in the 'Environment' category for the newly rehabilitated Rumble Pond Park, one of Canada's most innovative stormwater ponds. The award recognizes excellence in project management and partnerships. Rumble Pond, located at Bathurst and Mill Streets, was identified as having reached the end of its lifecycle and in need of upgrading. As a result, Richmond Hill partnered with stormwater agencies and industry leaders using their innovative strategies and technologies to bring the facility up to current standards for water quality, flood control and erosion control. Some of the unique features include filters that clean runoff water before it enters the pond, landscaping materials that allow water to absorb into the ground and adjustable controls that allow operators to monitor and regulate pond water levels. The facility also features recreational and educational space. |
| Richmond Hill Receives Award for its Commitment to Lifesaving Programs |
| On May 26, 2015, Council congratulated Richmond Hill Aquatics staff for winning the David W. Pretty Cup for the 10th year in a row! The Lifesaving Society presents this annual award to the municipality with the largest lifesaving program in a community with a population between 100,000 and 250,000. Richmond Hill was commended for the ongoing support and delivery of lifesaving programs, which include water safety programs such as First Aid, CPR, bronze levels, instructor awards and lifeguard training. |
| Unique Texting Competition Wins Best Youth Initiative |
| On May 26, 2015, the Mayor and Members of Council were presented with the Best Youth Initiative Award from Festival and Events Ontario for Richmond Hill's 2014 Canada Day Texting Competition. The Texting Competition was first introduced as part of the 2012 Canada Day Celebrations. In 2014, contestants competed in a four-round elimination process to determine the fastest texter. Some of the phrases the competitors had to text included "Happy CANADA Day!", "WELCOME to the TEEN ZONE!" and in the final round, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious." The competition took place in the Teen Zone, an interactive area specifically programmed to attract and engage Richmond Hill's youth population. |
| Richmond Hill Recognized for Creativity with Four Awards |
| At the July 13, 2015 Council meeting, Mayor Dave Barrow accepted three Hermes Creative Awards and an AVA Digital Award on behalf of Council. Hermes Creative Awards recognized the City for three projects in three separate categories. Richmond Hill's Spring and Summer 2015 Community Recreation Guide received a Platinum Award in the Program Guide category; the Responsible Pet Ownership Social Media Campaign won a Gold Award in the Communication/Marketing Campaign category and an Honourable Mention was credited to the City's "Keep Calm and Plant On" Earth Day t-shirts in the T-Shirt Design category. the City also received an AVA Digital Award for its video aimed at educating the community about the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) and how it is affecting ash trees. The video, which is available at RichmondHill.ca/EAB and on the City's YouTube channel, won a Gold Award. It outlines how property owners can identify an ash tree, the signs and symptoms of EAB infestation, what Richmond Hill is doing to manage ash trees on public property and what residents should do if they have an ash tree on their property. |
| Richmond Hill Recognized Twice for Stellar Urban Design |
| Richmond Hill's Weldrick-Nightstar Bridge continues to be the talk of the City and beyond. The work of Richmond Hill staff and the construction team was recognized in September 2015 by Parks and Recreation Ontario (PRO) with an Award for Excellence and by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) of North America with a Section Award. Each year, PRO recognizes the achievements of individuals and organizations that have contributed to the advancement of leisure, parks and recreation in Ontario. The IES awards are presented in recognition of accomplishments in the field of engineering illumination, design, applied illumination, optics, lighting, research and education. This unique pedestrian bridge with its innovative design, replaces a bridge that had deteriorated. Now lined by lit panels with star cut-outs, the surface engraved with the names of constellations, serves as an inspiration to other parks and recreation professionals when creating public spaces. The astronomical theme connects to the significance and history of the observatory and its influences on the community. The 28 metre-long bridge spans over German Mills Creek connecting people on either side of the creek and will serve as an access point to the development underway on the David Dunlap Observatory lands and park. |
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| 2014 |
| Richmond Hill Recognized for MedEdge 2013 Collaboration |
| On February 10, 2014, Council was presented with an Award of Merit from the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) for the success of MedEdge 2013: The Bridge to Commercialization through Partnerships. The collaboration award was presented to Richmond Hill, The Regional Municipality of York and ventureLAB. The 3rd Annual MedEdge Summit, held on Thursday, June 20, 2013, at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, was attended by more than 400 medical and health technology professionals. MedEdge is the premier life science business summit and is the catalyst for advancing ideas, connections and innovation into commercial success. EDCO, which is comprised of more than 600 members in the economic development profession across Ontario, works to enhance professional competence and advance economic development as a profession while supporting municipalities in fostering economic prosperity. Richmond Hill also received an honourable mention for its new economic development website. |
| We've Got Spirit! |
At a breakfast meeting on January 23, the United Way of York Region handed out some special awards at its 2013 Celebration event at the Angus Glen Golf Club. The awards were presented to organizations and individuals that achieved outstanding results through their United Way support and much to our surprise Richmond Hill won the Municipal Challenge: 300+ employees category! In all 29 awards were presented. Visit UnitedWaygt.org for more information about the work done on your behalf by the United Way of York Region.
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