Richmond Hill Names New Parks 
Council approved the names of three new park sites, in accordance with the Policy for Naming and Renaming Town Parks, Open Space and Recreation Facilities. The new parks are Bill Bell Park, Flood Farmstead Park and Jefferson Salamander Park. Bill Bell Park is named after William (Bill) Fraser Bell, the longest serving Mayor in Richmond Hill’s history. Bill Bell Park is located in Ward 3, along William F. Bell Parkway. Flood Farmstead Park is named after the Flood Family, who owned and farmed the property for 90 years. Flood Farmstead Park is located in Ward 4, along Yuan Drive. Jefferson Salamander Park is named after the Jefferson Salamander, an endangered species found in forests and wetlands throughout Richmond Hill. The park design was inspired by the life-cycle of the salamander: from egg to embryo to aquatic larva and finally to terrestrial adult. Jefferson Salamander Park is located in Ward 1 on Anchusa Drive. For more information, contact Daniel Harrietha, Parks Planning Technician, at dan.harrietha@richmondhill.ca or 905-771-2474.

Relief for Taxi Drivers through Updates to Taxi By-law
Richmond Hill updated its Taxi By-law to provide regulatory relief for the taxi industry as it competes with vehicle-for-hire companies such as Uber and Lyft. The changes to the By-law are as follows: 1) permit taxi drivers to record trip details electronically; 2) allow taxi vehicles to be up to 10 years old (increased from seven years old); 3) revise license application requirements to be similar to other municipalities; 4) allow taxi drivers to be employed by multiple brokerages, and; 5) increase flexibility for the taxi industry to set market rate-based fares, allowing them to better compete in today’s marketplace. In the future Richmond Hill will complete a comprehensive review of the Taxi By-law, which will include considerations for regulating vehicle-for-hire companies. For more information, contact Tracey Steele, Director, By-law and Licensing Enforcement, at tracey.steele@richmondhill.ca or 905-771-2476.

Deputy Mayors Appointed
Richmond Hill Council appointed newly elected Regional and Local Councillors DiPaola and Perrelli as Deputy Mayors. In the absence of the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor will fulfill the same duties and responsibilities. Having two Deputy Mayors will ensure that Council businesses can continue to be carried out efficiently. For more information, contact Stephen Huycke, Town Clerk at stephen.huycke@richmondhill.ca or 905-771-2529.