Richmond Hill Receives Funding for Cycling Infrastructure
Council was notified that Richmond Hill has been awarded $325,000 in funding from the Ontario Municipal Cycling Infrastructure Program. The money will help pay for construction of Phase 1 of Richmond Hill’s portion of the Lake to Lake Cycling Route and Walking Trail, which will run along Leslie Street from Highway 7 to just north of 16th Avenue. The Lake to Lake Cycling Route and Walking Trail will be an on and off-road amenity from Lake Simcoe to Lake Ontario. The Route will eventually connect six municipalities in York Region (Georgina, East Gwillimbury, Newmarket, Aurora, Richmond Hill and Markham) and the City of Toronto. Phase 1 of the Route in Richmond Hill is jointly funded by Richmond Hill and York Region, with each municipality contributing an estimated $890,000 towards the project. For more information about funding, contact Daniel Olding, Manager of Grants and Strategic Initiatives at 905-771-5505. For more information about the Lake to Lake Route, contact Maria Flores, Manager, Environment Strategy and Sustainability at 905-771-5438.

Memorial Veteran Statue for Richmond Hill’s Cenotaph
A Memorial Veteran Statue is to be placed at the Richmond Hill Cenotaph on Yonge Street. The funding for the statue will come from the Mayor’s Charity Golf Tournaments (2015 to 2018) and also from the Mayor’s Endowment Reserve Fund, which will be closed thereafter. The statue will honour the veterans of the First Word War, Second World War and Canada’s many peacekeeping missions as well as all who have contributed in war and peace to the freedom of our democracy. Local artist William Ho will be commissioned to create the statue, which is expected to be completed for 2018. Mr. Ho also created the Love, Hope, Harmony and People sculpture at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts, which celebrates the 140th anniversary of the incorporation of the Town of Richmond Hill. For more information, contact Mayor Dave Barrow at 905-771-2493. 

The next Committee of the Whole Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 5, 2016 at 4:30 p.m. and the next Council Meeting is Thursday, October 13 at 4:30 p.m. Both meetings will be held in Council Chambers.