Richmond Hill Receives Award of Excellence
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 designed to blend into the neighbourhood seamlessly with transitions to the surrounding forests and open spaces. The design team used the beautiful and intricate patterns within nature to inspire the design and are interwoven into surface treatments, vertical structures, play areas, and site furniture. Some of the patterns that have been incorporated into features within the Park include birch bark, grass blades, snowflakes, starbursts, snail shells and pebbles. 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. PRO awards recognize the outstanding achievements and extraordinary commitments of park and recreation professionals and organizations in providing services and programs. This is Richmond Hill’s seventh project to be selected to receive a PRO Award of Excellence in the last eight years. For more information, contact Steve Fick, Acting Commissioner, Environment & Infrastructure Services, at 905-747-6474.

Richmond Hill Council Supports Amendment to Provincial Autism IBI Therapy Policy
Council voted unanimously in favour of sending a letter to members of the Ontario Provincial Parliamentto demonstrate their support of amending the provincial policy on Autism IBI Therapy. Autism Spectrum Disorder is now recognized as the most common neurological disorder affecting one in every 68 children. The current waiting list of children for Intensive Behaviour Intervention (IBI) and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) is more than 16,000. Earlier this year, the Province of Ontario announced its intentions to discontinue IBI services to children older than four and to provide a one-time payment to assist with services. Through their correspondence, Council requests the Province amend its policy to allow all children on the current waiting list to receive the IBI services promised to them; to remove the age limit on IBI therapy and replace it with a program that provides ongoing services based on individual need; to ensure oversight by professionals and parents based on development progress criteria and milestones; and to adopt a Direct Funding Offering model in lieu of the current Direct Service Offering model. The letter will be sent to the Hon. Tracy MacCharles, Minister of Children and Youth Services; Alexander Bezzina, Deputy Minister; Hon. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health; and Hon. Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario. For more information, contact Stephen Huycke, Director, Council Support Services/Town Clerk, at 905-771-2529.

Council Votes to Save the Girl Next Door
Richmond Hill Council was unanimous in its support of a proposed private member’s bill that would take immediate action to protect victims of human trafficking and promote awareness of the continued need for discussion and action. Human trafficking is a significant and growing issue in Ontario; it’s is one of the fastest growing crimes that starts and stays in Canada, targeting victims who are 90 per cent Canadian-born and predominantly female, with an average age of 14. It’s estimated that more than 30,000 Canadian girls and young women in Canada have been forced into prostitution. The proposed Saving the Girl Next Door Act will give police the power to enforce protection orders against traffickers on behalf of the victims and to assess punitive measures if breached. The bill would also allow victims to seek compensation in court and add convicted traffickers to the Province’s sex offender registry. In addition, victims’ families, police and Children’s Aid Societies would be able to apply for a minimum three-year protection order from traffickers. Richmond Hill staff, on behalf of Council, will forward a copy of the resolution in support of the proposed Saving the Girl Next Door Act to all members of the Ontario Provincial Parliament, Ontario Municipalities and York Region. will give police the power to enforce protection orders against traffickers on behalf of the victims and to assess punitive measures if breached. The bill would also allow victims to seek compensation in court and add convicted traffickers to the Province’s sex offender registry. In addition, victims’ families, police and Children’s Aid Societies would be able to apply for a minimum three-year protection order from traffickers. Richmond Hill staff, on behalf of Council, will forward a copy of the resolution in support of the proposed Saving the Girl Next Door Act to all members of the Ontario Provincial Parliament, Ontario Municipalities and York Region. For more information, contact Stephen Huycke, Director, Council Support Services/Town Clerk, at 905-771-2529.