Broadcasting Council Meetings
Richmond Hill Council and Committee of the Whole meetings will be live-streamed by the end of April and to ensure that the meetings are accessible to everyone, recorded copies of the meetings will be posted to Richmond Hill’s YouTube channel. The idea of live streaming meetings was first raised in 2010; however, technology and implementation costs were not affordable. Since that time, Council and staff have worked towards establishing an efficient and affordable solution, starting with posting audio recordings to RichmondHill.ca after each Council meeting and, more recently, posting video coverage of the meetings. Staff will continue to explore additional streaming options as the Office of the Clerk implements a forthcoming digital agenda. For more information about live streaming Richmond Hill’s Council and Committee of the Whole meetings, contact Dean Miller, Commissioner, Corporate & Financial Services, at 905-771-2497.

Cultural Plan Annual Report
Council received the 2013 Annual Report on Culture, which highlights the efforts made towards achieving the Cultural Plan’s five goals. To successfully implement the Plan, staff focused on three key initiatives: reaching out to the community to build relationships; developing the necessary corporate staff relationships; and links to achieve planned projects and initiatives and implementing grassroots 2013 action items. Key achievements from 2013 included establishing the 22-member Cultural Leadership Council, developing the Cultural Map, conducting an inventory of more than 1,200 cultural assets and beginning to develop a process for creating a Public Arts Policy. The report was shared with the community at the First Annual Cultural Summit on Wednesday, March 26 at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts. Residents can look forward to the launch of the Cultural Map, the premiere of the Capturing Stories film project and the delivery of the Festivals and Events strategy in 2014. For more information about the Cultural Plan Annual Report, contact Darlene Joslin, Director, Recreation & Culture, at 905-771-2423.

Municipal Drinking Water
In accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, 2002, Council received the 2013 Municipal Drinking Water System Report for Richmond Hill’s water distribution system. The report confirms Richmond Hill’s commitment to provide safe drinking water to the community. It also details Richmond Hill’s compliance with provincial standards for testing and reporting processes and the Town’s inspection rating of 100 per cent under the Ministry of the Environment’s Municipal Drinking Water Inspection Program. Rigorous sampling and testing throughout the drinking water system has been completed and confirms Richmond Hill’s drinking water is safe. For more information, visit RichmondHill.ca/Water or contact Diogo Oliveira, Manager, Water & Wastewater, 905-780-2971.

Award Winning Events
Staff presented the Mayor and Members of Council with two awards that Richmond Hill received at the recent Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO) annual conference. Richmond Hill’s Canada Day celebration was recognized as one of the Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario and Ribfest received the Achievement Award for the Best New Festival or Event ($100,000 or less). Events are an important part of community life as they encourage engagement and connect residents with their neighbours and local businesses. In addition to bringing people together, according to the FEO, events in Ontario contribute an estimated $2.3 billion to the regional GDP and support the equivalent of almost 50,000 full-time jobs, making them a valuable asset to the local economy. FEO is the leading professional organization for the festival and events industry, helping members to produce unique, quality festivals and events across Ontario through education, professional development and networking. Its membership includes festival and event organizers, suppliers, municipalities, schools, students, BIAs and more. For more information about Town events and the awards, contact Christine Morgan, Manager of Event Services, at 905-771-5507.

Richmond Hill wins Metrolinx Smart Commute Local Employer of the Year
Flo McLellan, Program Director of Smart Commute Markham-Richmond Hill, presented the Mayor and Council with the Metrolinx Smart Commute Markham, Richmond Hill Employer of the Year Award to acknowledge Richmond Hill’s outstanding commitment, leadership, innovation and results in promoting sustainable commuting. The award is given to member employers and partners that have put forth an exceptional effort in implementing their Smart Commute programs. These programs offer transit incentives and encourage carpooling to reduce community GHG emissions. For more information about Richmond Hill’s Smart Commute efforts, contact Megan Lui, Sustainable Transportation Coordinator, at 905-747-6340.

Richmond Hill receives WALK Friendly Community Designation
Kate Hall, Program Manager for WALK Friendly Ontario, presented the Mayor and Council with the WALK Friendly Community Bronze designation from Canada Walks, a national organization dedicated to encouraging municipalities to be more pedestrian friendly. The designation, which recognizes Richmond Hill’s walkability, is based on the municipality’s progress on more than 200 key walkability indicators such as sidewalk policies, networks of connected walking infrastructure and progressive design standards. The Town’s designation was the first received in York Region and one of five given to municipalities across Ontario in 2013. For more information about Richmond Hill’s efforts to be more pedestrian friendly, contact Megan Lui, Sustainable Transportation Coordinator, at 905-747-6340.