Sports Hall of Fame

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Celebrating Excellence in Our Sporting Community

The Richmond Hill Sports Hall of Fame honours the athletes, coaches, teams, and sports builders who have made outstanding contributions to our community. Through permanent displays, stories, and memorabilia, the Hall of Fame preserves Richmond Hill’s rich sporting heritage and inspires future generations to pursue excellence.

Location

The Sports Hall of Fame is located inside Elgin Barrow Arena, 43 Church Street South, Richmond Hill. The exhibit is open to the public during regular facility hours, offering residents and visitors a chance to explore decades of local sports history.

Induction Ceremony

Every two years, Richmond Hill celebrates new inductees at the Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. and honours the athletes, teams, officials, builders, community sport ambassador who achieved a high level of success and have made significant contributions to sport in Richmond Hill.

Nominations are Now Open!

Residents are invited to help shape the next class of inductees by submitting a nomination. If you know an athlete, coach, team, or builder whose achievements deserve recognition, we encourage you to share their story.

Nomination Criteria

All nominees must have a meaningful connection to Richmond Hill demonstrated by at least one of the following:

Born in Richmond Hill;
Raised or spent their formative years in Richmond Hill;
Achieved athletic prominence in Richmond Hill;
Significantly contributed to sport in Richmond Hill.

Athletes

Athletes are competitors in amateur or professional sport whose exceptional achievements merit special recognition.

Nominees in this category are evaluated based on:
Level of competition (local, provincial, national, or international)
Records achieved
Number and significance of awards earned
Skill, ability, and performance standards demonstrated

To be eligible, an athlete must have concluded their career in the sport, or at the level for which they are being nominated, for a minimum of two (2) years.

Officials

Officials play a vital role in competitive sport, including referees, linespeople, judges, scorers, and others responsible for enforcing rules and ensuring fair play.

This category recognizes officials who have competed or completed significant training to officiate at high levels of competition.

Nominations should include information about how the sport evaluates, ranks, or awards officials; and how officials earn the opportunity to officiate at major events or championship games

Officials will be considered based on:

Level of competition officiated (provincial, national, international, or professional)
Skill, ability, and performance standards achieved

To be eligible, an official must have concluded their officiating career, or the level for which they are being nominated, for a minimum of two (2) years.

Teams

Teams are evaluated on the collective merits of the group, including achievements, championships, records, and overall impact on the Richmond Hill sports community.

Builders

Builders include individuals such as financial supporters, administrators, trainers, coaches, journalists, and others whose long‑term contributions have significantly advanced sport in Richmond Hill.

Builder nominations may be submitted at any time, as nominees may still be active in the roles for which they are being recognized.

Community Sport Ambassador

The Community Sport Ambassador Award recognizes individuals who have made a meaningful and lasting impact on the Richmond Hill sports community. This award highlights leaders whose stories and contributions may otherwise go unrecognized.

Nominees in this category are community members who:

Demonstrate a passion for sport that extends beyond the game
Use their time and efforts to strengthen the community or raise awareness for important causes
Influence the sport community through volunteerism, mentorship, or charitable work
Inspire others through dedication, resilience, or leadership
Break barriers, promote inclusion, or encourage participation among people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities

Documentation Requirements

All nominations must be supported by documented evidence of the nominee’s achievements or contribution, including:

Nomination Form
Biography including:
A brief outline of the nominees career as an athlete, team, official or builder
Information on the nominees leadership skills, character and contributions to sport in the community
A list of achievements of the nominee, in chronological order.
Two letters of reference for each nomination
High resolution digital headshot of the nominee
Please attach copies of articles, photographs, awards, testimonials, etc., concerning the nominee that will support their accomplishments and contributions
Nominees cannot self-nominate.
Nomination forms must be complete. Incomplete forms will not be accepted.

Submit a Nomination

The deadline for the Richmond Hill Sports Hall of Fame nomination is Friday, July 31, 2026 at 4 p.m.

Submit a Nomination

Moments in Sport Contest

The Richmond Hill Sports Hall of Fame Moments in Sport contest captures the significant moments in our community's sport history.

Check out the winning plaques on display in the Richmond Hill Sports Hall of Fame.

Past Moments in Sport Winners

Wujia Li

Wujia's Moment in Sport:

Wujia Lia

What began as hesitation turned into love for the game. Encouraged by a friend, Wujia found joy not only in soccer, but in the bond they shared. This moment reflects the excitement, passion, and confidence that sport inspires – and the lasting connections built through play.
With a friend’s encouragement, Wujia discovered a love for soccer and the lasting joy, confidence, and connection that sport inspires.

Sujan Chanthiran

Sujan's Moment in Sport:

Sujan Chanthiran

This moment captures the pride of winning a first figure skating medal – a testament to perseverance, dedication, and passion for the sport. Beyond medals, it reflects how skating builds confidence, character, and community.
The joy of a first figure skating medal, symbolizing dedication, perseverance, and the confidence, character, and community built through sport.

Kira Han

Kira's Moment in Sport:

Kira Han - Moments in Sport Contest Winner

Kira is a competitive dancer based out of Richmond Hill - she goes to JCB Danceworks and loves competing individually and part of a team. She continues to strive to improve her skill set every year and loves Mill Pond Park!

Kyle Auyoung

Kyle's Moment in Sport:

Kyle Auyoung - Moments in Sport Contest Winner

Poem written by Kyle Auyoung
The ball falls on the enemy floor
The crowd cheers for each team
Hard as a rock
The taste of victory draws near
The sweat of teammates smells weird

Flash of the ball comes down to my hands
My teammates cheering for me
The ball in my hands
The final point
The battle is still raging

I spike the ball, and it flies through the air
Like a jet soaring 1000km an hour
The ball hits the enemy floor
Our victory has come
We won the battle
Volleyball is a part of my life

Kyle's love for volleyball developed, after trying out for his school volleyball team in grade 4. Up until that point, he had never even touched a volleyball. He believed he had only made the team because the school was looking for 15 players and only 15 boys attended the tryout. Making the team motivated Kyle and made him determined to become a better volleyball player.

This picture was taken during Kyle's first Ontario Volleyball Association (OVA) Ontario Championships in Waterloo, representing the 4v4 boys, the youngest team in his competitive Volleyball Club. Kyle's team got off to a slow start during the two-day Championship competition, losing every game on day one, which sent them to compete in the bottom tier. The boys did not give up, after a lot of pep talks, sweat and tears, they came back and won every game on day two of the competition.

Jacqueline Cheung

Jacqueline’s Moment in Sport:

Jacqueline Cheung

My moment in sport represents both the struggle and reward of competing in badminton as a Canadian athlete. Ten years ago, I picked up a racquet for the first time at the Rouge Woods Community Centre in Richmond Hill. In 2016, I was granted the opportunity to compete in my first ever Pan American Junior Championships in Lima, Peru. I was excited to be representing Canada at the international level. Unfortunately, I lost in the first round and thought I wasn’t cut out for the sport. But instead of quitting, I continued to train harder than ever before.

Two years later, I competed at the 2018 Pan American Junior Championships in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil and won in all three events (singles, doubles, mixed). It definitely wasn’t an easy journey, so making it to the semi-finals at the Canada Open and having my picture captured means a lot to me because it took a lot to be able to compete and thrive on the international stage. Badminton has made such a profound impact on my life by teaching me life lessons I will always keep close and continue to learn from.

Ezekiel Liu

Ezekiel's Moment in Sport:

Ezekiel Liu

Poem written by Ezekiel:

Special Olympics athlete
Pandemic cannot restrain
Own his story
Raise the bar
Top Personal Bests
Show God’s glory

Ezekiel Liu loves speed skating, swimming and athletics. During the pandemic when sports programs were closed, he continued training at home and in the neighbourhood.

In this picture taken at an outdoor track in Richmond Hill, Ezekiel runs against the wind, learning the power of perseverance. He turned 16 during the pandemic and partnered with Autism Ontario York Region to send out Fitness Kits to inspire autistic young people to stay active. Emerging from the pandemic, Ezekiel qualified for a second time with Team Ontario for the Special Olympics Speed Skating competition. He also made it to the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) Track and Field Finals for the first time. Through sports, Ezekiel learned to be focused and determined, and about grit and independence. As a young adult with special needs, sport has been and continues to be a huge part of Ezekiel’s life.

You don’t have to play the sport to have a sports moment.

Sports Hall of Fame

Past Inductees

Explore the many achievements in sport in Richmond Hill throughout the years. Learn more about past inductees.

Committee

The Richmond Hill Sports Hall of Fame is led by a committee of community volunteers, with staff support from the Recreation and Culture Division.

Chair: Carmen James
Vice Chair: Scott Passmore
Treasurer: TBD
Secretary: Vanessa Ley
Committee Members:

Howard Binstock
Robert Livingstone
Terrance Yuan Li
Jim File
Josh Geno
Edward Hoogenboom

Staff: Robin Taylor-Smith

Do you want to get involved in the Sports Hall of Fame? We are looking for additional members. For more information, please contact us at 905-884-1368 ext.7572 or email sportshall@richmondhill.ca.

Supporters

The support of these organizations make the events and activities of the Sports Hall of Fame possible.

Presenting Sponsor:

Joseph Kreiner Real Estate Inc.

Awards Sponsor

Richmond Hill Hockey Association

Print Sponsor:

Creative Path

Champion Sponsors:

Mister Bee Farms Inc.
York Region Skating Centre

Community Sponsors:

Friends of the Sports Hall of Fame

Active Green + Ross
Barry's Quality Care Automotive
Bristol Car and Truck Rentals
Efinka Catering with Elegance
Investors Group - Sergui Hirtescu
Dr. Jozwik Optometrist
Petro Canada Oak Ridges
Yun-Xu Long, Artist

Donating Memorabilia

We are always looking for donated items from your organization so we can showcase memorabilia and artifacts from various sports organizations throughout Richmond Hill.

City of Richmond Hill

Sports Hall of Fame

Celebrating Excellence in Our Sporting Community

Moments in Sport Contest

Sports Hall of Fame

Contact(s)