Welcome

In October,  there are many important date acknowledged by the Ontario government (https://www.ontario.ca/laws): 

• Hispanic Heritage Month
• Hungarian Heritage Month
• Islamic Heritage Month
• Korean Heritage Month
• German Pioneers Day - October 15

Thanksgiving Holiday is on October 13 2025 , Happy Thanksgiving! Also there were a few Holidays  in Jewish community, including: Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, from the evening of Wed, Oct 1, 2025, to Thu, Oct 2, 2025, is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar of fasting, repentance and self-examination! G'mar chatima tova ; Sukkot,evening of Mon, Oct 6, 2025 – Mon, Oct 13, 2025, the time of rejoicing, marks a transition from the solemnity of the Days of Awe to a focus on happiness and celebration.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is on Oct 6th, Celebrations include family reunion dinners, eating mooncakes and pomelo, admiring the full moon, and guessing lantern riddles. Diwali 2025 is the Festival of Lights, with the main celebration on Monday, October 20, 2025 . It symbolizes the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance".  

This month,  Business Improvement Area (BIA) hosted a secondary annual Spooky Village Trick or Treat event, featuring Trick-or-Treat activities, face painting and a lively costume parade!  More than 35 local businesses took part, and over 1,200 children registered for the event.

From community level:

• Road construction: Arnold Crescent, Highland Lane and Elizabeth Street Road.

From city level:

• Cultural Centre grand opening to support arts and bring people together.
• Yard Waste: October 14 to December 12 - Weekly on your regular waste collection day
• Blue Box Program Changes in 2026: Starting January 1, 2026, Separate trucks for recycling/organics: Blue boxes and green bins will be collected by separate trucks instead of being co-collected on the same truck.

Thank you!

Simon Cui

Richmond Hill Ward 4 Councillor

Cellphone: 437-326-0206

Website: https://simoncui.ca

Email: simon.cui@richmondhill.ca

Chapter 1 Incoming Events in November 2025:

Nov 7 Friday  - 55+ Seniors Active Living Fair

Join us at the Senior’s Active Living Fair where you’ll learn about the benefits of healthy living and the importance of exercise, nutrition, safety and security. There will be a panel of presenters as well as a trade show. A light lunch will also be served. We acknowledge and thank the Government of Ontario for the funding provided to the Older Adult Centres' Association of Ontario for the implementation of the 2024-2025 Seniors Active Living Fair project. Registration for this exciting event will opens at 7 a.m. on Monday, September 22.

https://anc.ca.apm.activecommunities.com/richmondhill/activity/search/detail/127774?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true&_ga=2.265700047.1722061132.1760974822-341443219.1738424615

Date: Friday, November 7, 2025 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Address: McConaghy Centre, 10100 Yonge St.

Nov 8 Saturday- Anne in Costume - Exhibit

In celebration of iconic Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery, this exhibit showcases costume designs inspired by her beloved novel Anne of Green Gables. The featured reproductions are of original designs by award-winning costume designer Martha Mann, on loan from the Toronto Public Library's Special Collections in the Arts. Presented alongside artifacts from the Richmond Hill Artifact Collection, this exhibit invites visitors to explore how storytelling, design and heritage come together to shape cultural memory—offering inspiration that continues to resonate across generations.

Saturday, November 8, 2025 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Address: Richmond Hill Heritage Centre, 19 Church St North, L4C 3E6

Nov 9 Sunday- Remembrance Day Parade 

The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 375 will be hosting a Remembrance Day 

Parade on Sunday, November 9, 2025 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

The Parade will commence at Wright Street and will travel south along Yonge Street to the McConaghy Centre. A portion of Yonge Street from south of Crosby Avenue to north of Major Mackenzie Drive will be closed for the duration of the parade and ceremony.

Nov 9 -  Making Ink from Compost Workshop

Greg Chiykowski will instruct a half-day ink making workshop, focusing on ink made from common materials found in your compost. All participants will leave the workshop with two small, bottled samples of ink made during the workshop. Space for the workshop is limited to ten participants. Book early since the workshop last year sold out.For registration, contact Greg by email - g.chiykowski@gmail.com

Date: Sunday, November 9, 2024 – 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Cost: $40 - Payment can be made by e-transfer or cash.

Location: Mill Pond Gallery, 314 Mill Street, Richmond Hill

Artist Co-Op Richmond Hill Art Gallery and Shop

The Artists Co-Op Richmond Hill is thrilled to announce our 4th year bringing once again an extraordinary holiday shopping experience to the historic Boynton House. at the Richmond Green. Our official opening celebration will be on Friday November 14th, but you can stop by for sneak preview on Thursday November 13. As a passionate group of local artists ,we take pride in continuing to provide a "shop local experience" celebrating our rich artistic community. Our Holiday Gallery showcases the diverse talents and creativity of our artists, featuring beautifully crafted metalwork, exquisite  pottery, original jewelry, fused glass wonders, captivating handwoven baskets and felted creations and stunning quilts, all surrounded by high quality fine art and photography. Visit our website to learn more and sign up for our emails  www.artistcooprh.ca 

• Thursday, November 13, 2025 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
• Friday, November 14, 2025 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
• Saturday, November 15, 2025 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
• Sunday, November 16, 2025 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
• Thursday, November 20, 2025 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
• Friday, November 21, 2025 11:00 am - 6:00 pm

Address: Boynton House @ Richmond Green 1300 Elgin Mills Road, Richmond Hill East L4S 1M5

Nov 18 Tuesday -  55+ Niagara Fallsview Casino, Skylon Tower & Christmas Lights

Depart McConaghy Centre at 9:00am to travel by deluxe coach to Niagara Falls! Enjoy a five hour visit to Fallsview Casino and receive $35 in slot play. Afterwards, have a delicious meal at the Skylon Tower.  Travel along the Niagara Parkway and view the Christmas Lights returning to Richmond Hill at approximately 8:30pm. Be sure to bring government issued identification such as a driver's license, Ontario card or passport; health cards are not accepted. Meal selection required upon booking. Please call McConaghy Centre for meal selection 905-737-1818.

Tickets are first come, first serve. Purchase your ticket by Thursday, November 12th. No refunds will be issued after November 12th.  Both 55+ members and non-members are welcome.

https://anc.ca.apm.activecommunities.com/richmondhill/activity/search/detail/123426?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true&_ga=2.71058128.1722061132.1760974822-341443219.1738424615

Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 9:00 am - 8:30 pm

Address: McConaghy Centre, 10100 Yonge St.

Nov 19 Wednesday - 55+ Coffee Chat: Kinnected Chain - Pelvic Floor

In this introductory workshop, Kelly of the health company Kinnected Chain, will discuss the pelvic floor muscles, common pelvic floor issues and the benefits of strengthening these muscles. She will also go over lifestyle considerations and demonstrate a few strengthening exercises. Discussion topics will be: Brief introduction to pelvic floor muscles & their function, Common pelvic floor issues (urinary incontinence etc.), Benefits of pelvic muscle training, Exercises to strengthen pelvic muscles. Complimentary refreshments will be provided; and the opportunity to join interactive games where participants will get to know fellow members of the community.

Register starting on August 19th at 7a.m.  All older adult residents of Richmond Hill are welcome to register, no membership required.

https://anc.ca.apm.activecommunities.com/richmondhill/activity/search/detail/127085?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true&_ga=2.259944138.1722061132.1760974822-341443219.1738424615

Date: Wednesday, November 19, 2025 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Address: McConaghy Centre, 10100 Yonge St.

Nov 28-30: Hill Potters’ Guild  Fall sale

Hill Potter's Guild fall sale is coming,  please join and support our local artists. For almost 50 years, Hill Potter’s Guild has been part of the Richmond Hill community. A non-profit cooperative, members have been stewards of our local heritage, maintaining the historic Burr House and Guild Hall at 530 Carrville Road in Richmond Hill. Within these foundational walls, they grow their creative skills by creating functional pottery for the home, and stunning works of art and sculpture. All unique, these distinctive pieces are sold to help members cover their own and Guild operating costs.

Help support their work by visiting their Spring Sale at The Burr House Gallery at 530 Carrville Road in Richmond Hill and view and purchase one-of-a-kind ceramics. The sale will feature pottery by many various potters. For more information on the up-coming Fall Potters Sale.  For the latest on the sale with features on the Potters and their ceramics, follow @hillpotters on Instagram and Facebook.

Please Contact: hillpottersguildrh@gmail for further information.

• Friday: 12PM- 6PM
• Saturday: 10AM-6PM
• Sunday: 12PM-4PM

Address: 528 CARRVILLE ROAD, Richmond Hill 

Chapter 2 Community, City and Regional Service Changes

Community Services:

Road Construction: Arnold Crescent, Highland Lane and Elizabeth Street Road

The City’s construction is scheduled to begin in November 2025 and is projected to be substantially completed by late 2026 for underground work and road work in late 2027. The road reconstruction will be undertaken in phases as outlined below:

• November 2025 to December 2025 – Arnold Crescent between Elizabeth Street and Yonge Street underground work (watermain replacement and sanitary sewer replacement)
• Early Spring 2026 – Tree trimming and minor clearing
• Spring 2026 to Late 2026 – Underground work (watermain, sanitary sewer and storm sewers)
• Spring 2027 to Fall 2027 – Roadwork (curbs, gutters, sidewalks, driveways, boulevard restorations)
• Summer 2028 – Final top asphalt paving

We expect underground work and roadwork to be substantially completed by late 2026 and late 2027, respectively. Final paving will wrap up in Summer 2028. If there are any changes to this schedule, we will keep you informed as construction progresses.

What’s Happening?

The Contractor will perform road excavation, remove ditches and culverts, pave asphalt, add curbs and gutters, re-grade driveways, install sidewalks, storm sewers, and catch basins, upgrade watermains and sanitary sewers, and improve streetlights. The project also includes a new southbound left turn lane at Arnold Crescent and Major Mackenzie Drive and upgraded sanitary sewers on Arnold Crescent from Major Mackenzie Drive to Hopkins Street.

What to Expect:

During construction, roads will generally remain accessible to local vehicular traffic only. Temporary traffic diversions and restricted driveway access may be necessary at certain times to facilitate construction activities safely and efficiently. Occasionally, a complete road closure may be required for safety and operational reasons. Should a full closure be implemented, advance notice will be provided, and additional detour signage will be installed to inform and guide motorists safely through the designated detours.

There will be scheduled water and sanitary service disruptions for the watermain and sanitary sewer construction. Advanced notices will be provided prior to the water and sanitary service disruptions.

For additional project information including past design notices, please visit  richmondHill.ca/CapitalProjects.

City Services:

2025 State of the City Address 

Mayor David West delivered his 2025 State of the City Address at the Richmond Hill Board of Trade Mayor’s Luncheon, illustrating a year of progress, innovation and community building.

City Accomplishments

Richmond Hill city staff and community partners continue to deliver exceptional service:

• Handled 117,000+ resident inquiries
• Supplied 18 billion litres of clean drinking water
• Planted 9,000 trees
• Delivered nearly 10,000 recreation programs to over 69,000 participants
• Trained 173 firefighters and achieved a 68% waste diversion rate

Community Safety

Working closely with York Regional Police, the city has seen major crime reductions:

• Homicides down 67%
• Carjackings down 49%
• Break-ins down 11%
• Auto thefts down 37%

The Mayor emphasized that while progress is being made, safety remains a top priority.

Housing and Growth-  Affordable and diverse housing options are being supported through:

• Planning and zoning updates
• Financial incentives for affordable homes
• Affordable Housing Concierge Program
• Easier approvals for garden suites and basement apartments
• New senior housing developments like Schlegel Villages, Carefirst, Monsheong.

The Mayor also called for fairer municipal funding, expressing frustration with the current Building Faster Fund model.

Transit and Infrastructure

The upcoming Yonge North Subway Extension to Richmond Hill Centre will be transformative—spurring transit-oriented development, attracting businesses, and improving access for residents.
Infrastructure improvements also include:

• New bridges and road rehabilitation
• Traffic safety upgrades
• Park revitalizations, including Richmond Green, Bill Bell Park, and the Bond Lake trail

Economic and Cultural Development

Richmond Hill continues to expand its global connections through:

• A trade mission to Germany
• Partnerships with the United Nations University Institute
• Strong support for local businesses

The Mayor also announced:

• A new cultural centre in the Heritage Downtown Village
• A memorial at Unity Park honoring the victims of Flight PS752
• Continued focus on arts, culture, and heritage as key parts of Richmond Hill’s identity

The Mayor concluded with pride in Richmond Hill’s resilience, diversity, and innovation—reaffirming a commitment to building a vibrant, inclusive, and thriving city for all residents.

Cultural Centre Open Now!

Get ready to experience the heartbeat of creativity in Richmond Hill! Originally built in 1936 as a purpose-built Post Office, the historic gem has been reimagined into a dynamic Cultural Centre that is home to the arts and brings people together.  

Whether you’re a maker, a mover, or a muse, the Cultural Centre offers something for everyone – from studio spaces and display opportunities, to podcasting suites and collaborative meeting rooms. It’s not just a building; it’s a playground for ideas, a stage for expression and a home for community. 

About the Cultural Centre

Designed with artists and creators in mind, the Cultural Centre features spaces for making, sharing and connecting. From hands-on studios to soundproof recording rooms and flexible gathering spaces, it’s built to support you at every stage of your creative journey. Whether you are looking to create, collaborate or simply soak in the vibes, you’ll find your spark here. 

Location:  10184 Yonge Street,  Richmond Hill

What’s Inside 

This dynamic new facility brings together everything our artists and community need to thrive: 

• Studio spaces for making, creating and experimenting  
• Artwork display opportunities in our hallway galleries to showcase local talent (and beyond!)  
• Recording and podcast rooms for sharing voices and stories 
• Office and meeting spaces for planning, collaboration and big ideas 
• Gathering areas designed to spark connection and build community 

More Than a Building, the Cultural Centre is a promise: that arts and culture are for everyone, and that creativity belongs at the heart of Richmond Hill.

https://www.richmondhill.ca/en/things-to-do/cultural-centre.aspx#Rooms-and-Workspaces

Yard Waste

Yard waste includes leaves, pine cones, fallen fruit, tree/shrub clippings, weeds, flowers, pumpkins, clean straw and dried corn stalks. Soil, sod and grass clippings are NOT ACCEPTED. 

Please do not rake or blow leaves onto the road. Bag or bin them and place them at the curb for collection. See collection guidelines below.

2025 Yard Waste Collection Schedule

• April 15 to October 10 - Every other week on your garbage collection day*
• October 14 to December 12 - Weekly on your regular waste collection day

Curbside collection guidelines

· Yard waste must be placed at the curb no later than 7a.m. on the day of collection and no earlier than 6p.m. the night before.

· Yard waste must be set out in a large Kraft paper bag or in a reusable, rigid, open top container, such as a garbage can or bushel basket (max. 125L/33gal). No plastic bags.

· Place a yellow yard waste sticker on open-top reusable containers. Free stickers are available at Access Richmond Hill (225 East Beaver Creek Road) and at the Operations Center (1200 Elgin Mills Road East).

· Bundle branches, sticks and twigs with twine (maximum length 1.2m/4ft and maximum diameter of 10cm/4in per branch).

· Each container, bag or bundle must not exceed 18 kg/40lbs.

· If yard waste has not been collected, it must be removed from the curb by 9p.m. on the collection day. It is against the City's Waste Bylaw to leave yard waste at the curb days prior to collection.

Drop off your yard waste

Richmond Hill residents can drop off their yard waste at the Bloomington Yard Waste Depot located at 1351 Bloomington Road, Richmond Hill. Visit york.ca/wastedepots for hours and fees.

Blue Box Program Changes in 2026

The Province of Ontario is transitioning the blue box program to a new model that makes producers of recyclable materials responsible for their collection and processing instead of municipalities.

Starting January 1, 2026, residential recycling in Richmond Hill will be managed by Circular Materials (CM), a non-profit organization that represents producers. CM has contracted Miller Waste to collect your blue box recycling and manage customer service inquiries. You will continue to receive uninterrupted recycling collection service on your regular collection day.

What's changing

Starting January 1, 2026:

• New customer service contact: All blue box related inquiries, including missed collections and requests for new or replacement blue boxes must be made directly to Miller Waste, instead of to the City. Contact details will be posted here once they are available.
• Separate trucks for recycling/organics: Blue boxes and green bins will be collected by separate trucks instead of being co-collected on the same truck. Your collection day stays the same, but collection times will vary.

What is NOT changing

• Collection schedule: There will be no changes to the collection schedule, but collection times will vary. 
• Blue box: You can continue to put your recycling out in the same blue box you are using now.
• Garbage, organics and yard waste collection: The City will continue to collect garbage, green bins and yard waste, as well as large appliances and bulky items following the current collection schedule. 

City staff are working with Circular Materials to help ensure a smooth transition and keep our community informed.