Uptown Asian Festival 2023

The Uptown Asian Festival is a highly anticipated three-day event that celebrates the rich traditions of the mid-autumn festival in Asian culture. The festival will feature captivating movie screenings, traditional Chinese performances, tantalizing pan-Asian food vendors, and exciting carnival games.

Date: 

• Friday, September 1, 2023 3:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
• Saturday, September 2, 2023 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
• Sunday, September 3, 2023 12:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Address: Richmond Green Sports Centre and Park: 1300 Elgin Mills Rd E, Richmond Hill, ON L4S 1M5

Summer's End Garden Social

In lieu of an annual end of season key note speaker event, the City is hosting its first RH Blooms Summer's End Garden Social on Saturday, September 9 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Richmond Green Park (in the picnic shelter area), 1300 Elgin Mills Road East. Drop in to this booth-style interactive event for the opportunity to:

• Speak with a variety of garden, horticulture and environment-related exhibitors
• Tour the park's many garden beds and landscape features
• Meet with fellow gardeners
• Purchase native plants from the Richmond Hill Garden and Horticultural Society.

Date: Saturday, September 9, 2023 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Address: Richmond Green Sports Centre and Park: 1300 Elgin Mills Rd E, Richmond Hill, ON L4S 1M5

Food Bank Harvest Days

This year, we’re providing our community allotment gardeners the chance to donate some of their harvest to the Richmond Hill Community Food Bank. All residents are also welcome to join. If you’d like to donate produce, such as fruits and vegetables (homegrown or purchased) to help someone in need, food bank volunteers will be at the Phyllis Rawlinson Park Community Garden (11715 Leslie Street) collecting donations on August 13 and 27, September 10 and 24 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Residents only need to bring produce. Containers will be supplied.

Date:

• Sunday, September 10, 2023 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m
• Sunday, September 24, 2023 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Address: Phyllis Rawlinson Park, 11715 Leslie Street

Heritage Summit

The Heritage Summit is an opportunity to appreciate and celebrate Richmond Hill's heritage, presented in partnership between the City and the Richmond Hill Historical Society. Tickets to this event are free! Registration is required for the evening guest speaker and will be available through the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts.

• 1-4 p.m. - Mix and Mingle: Join us in the RHCPA’s lobby, hallways and the Plaza Suite where 26 organizations will showcase the roles they play in contributing to the City's heritage. 
• 7-9 p.m. - Guest Speaker Ted Barris: Join us in the RHCPA’s theatre for a talk by Toronto historian and author Ted Barris. Ted will discuss the roles of Medics, Doctors and Nurses in WWI and II, with a Richmond Hill emphasis. The evening concludes with a presentation of heritage awards, including the Historical Society's Bert Hunt Heritage Award.

Date: Sunday, September 10, 2023 1:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Address: Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts (10268 Yonge Street)

Moonlight Movies

Soak up the final nights of summer under the stars as we once again bring you Moonlight Movies. Pack up your chairs and blankets, gather the family and enjoy a new release or an old classic. Pre-show fun begins at 7 p.m. and all movies begin at dusk.

Date:

• Monday, September 11, 2023 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
• Monday, September 18, 2023 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Location:  Please visit  https://www.richmondhill.ca/en/things-to-do/moonlight-movies.aspx. 

Part-time Job Fair

Join us at a Richmond Hill Part-time Job Fair this September to learn about the wide variety of part-time opportunities available with the City – and apply on the spot!

• Tuesday, September 12 (3-7 p.m.) at Elgin West Community Centre, 11099 Bathurst Street
• Thursday, September 14 (5-8 p.m.) at McConaghy Centre, 10100 Yonge Street

Address: Elgin West Community Centre, 11099 Bathurst Street

https://www.richmondhill.ca/en/news/want-a-job-that-makes-a-difference-we-re-hiring.aspx

• Facility Attendant I
• Facility Attendant II
• Aquatic Lifeguards
• Aquatic Swim Instructors
• Skate Instructors
• Skate Patrol
• Fitness Instructors
• Fitness Coaches
• Fitness Consultants
• Ushers
• Usher Supervisors
• Duty Managers
• Volunteers
• Inclusion Support Staff
• Outdoor Adventure Staff
• Sports Dome Program Monitors and Sports Conveners
• Program Monitor (Adult Pickleball drop-ins)
• Program Instructor (Basketball and Volleyball)
• School Crossing Guards

150 Walk and Learn – Gormley Heritage District

The Hamlet of Gormley is a gem in Richmond Hill. Settlement here began with the arrival of Pennsylvania German immigrants in the first decade of the 19th century. Our tour will focus on the heritage homes of this unique settlement that grew from a small farming community to a hamlet that was at one time a bustling stop for the railroad.

Date: Sunday, September 17, 2023 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Address: Meet at the corner Farmer Court and Gormley Street West.

https://www.google.com/maps/search/Meet+at+the+corner+Farmer+Court+and+Gormley+Street+West./@43.936563,-79.4047436,17z/data=!3m1!4b1?entry=ttu

Astronomy Tea

Celebrate Astronomy days at the Heritage Centre! You will enjoy our full service afternoon tea and members from the Royal Astronomical Society will share their knowledge about the cosmos. After tea, experience solar gazing in Amos Wright Park and learn about telescopes and how you can enjoy the night sky at home.

Date: Friday, September 22, 2023 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Address: 19 Church St N, Richmond Hill, ON L4C 3E6

2023 York Region Inclusive Information Fair

Children's Treatment Network (CTN) in partnership with the City of Richmond Hill will be hosting a York Region Inclusive Information Fair to provide community information to families of kids, youth and adults with disabilities and developmental needs ages 0 - 21.

With a focus on bringing information, resources and services that support all 6 F-Words of Childhood Development! Fun, Family, Friends, Function, Future and Fitness. There will be a variety of vendors from recreation (Fun), to transition to school (Future), to CTN’s Equipment Loan Program (Fitness), a parent networking room (Family), and many more!

All community service providers, educators, financial or funding representatives are welcome to attend. We also invite private vendors, transition support providers, recreation organizations, parent support and information groups to participate.

Date: Saturday, September 23, 2023 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Address: Langstaff Community Centre 155 Red Maple Road Richmond Hill, ON

150 Walk and Learn – North Yonge Street

North Yonge Street in the village core is a unique part of the city featuring a history of politics, education, medicine and the arts!

Date: Tuesday, September 26, 2023 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Address: Meet at R.H. Centre for the Performing Arts, 10268 Yonge Street

Tress, Grass, Trail, Park service:

Q1:  How many trails/streets/parks are we managing for grass cutting and what is the SLA?

A1: There are 165 parks in the city. City grounds maintenance crews have begun cutting the grass within our Parks and Open Spaces network with the follow frequencies:

• 1x per week: City Buildings (Community Centres, Arenas, etc.), Destination Parks & select Community Parks 
• 1x per every 2 weeks: Community Parks, Neighborhood Parks & Local Parks 
• 1x per month: Walkways, greenways, open spaces, and low profile areas

To manage the rapid growth of grass during this time, some areas may not receive line trimming on the first round of maintenance. Crews will address this on the next round of maintenance.  The City has contracted crews that cut grass along City boulevards and other low profile areas. First cutting cycles began in mid-April, which takes them approximately 14 days to complete. Crews work systematically through the City Blocks.

Q2: What is the bylaw requirement to cut the width of the grass/bushes from the walkway? Also trails/parks if branches/grasses/bushes reach the walkway and lead to safety concern?

A2:   There is no by-law requirement for trimming vegetation from encroaching on a public walkway as this is a municipal maintenance responsibility and is governed by City service levels. The Trees on Town Streets By-law (Section 821.2.1 (e)) authorizes the City to “prune or cause to be pruned all trees located on private property, the branches of which extend over a City Street, including the pruning of branches which are hazardous or create an unsafe condition”.  

Based on the best practice, grass is typically cut back 0.5m - 1.0m along the pathways and sidewalks depending on the location and the types of vegetation/trees adjacent to the pathways. 

• If the tree is located on private property and the branches are overhanging the sidewalk, then the owner of the tree can cut the branches and the City can also cut the branches in accordance with the  Trees on Town Streets (See Section 821.3.1 (e))
• If the tree is a City tree (i.e., located on the municipal boulevard) then only the City is authorized to cut the tree (See Section 821.4.1 and 821.4.6)
• It is often difficult to determine exactly where a tree is located and who owns it – see https://www.richmondhill.ca/en/find-or-learn-about/Tree-Maintenance.aspx

Grass and Weeds bylaw 

• Grass and weeds cannot exceed a length of 20cm year round;
• Residents are responsible for maintaining boulevards next to their property; (Richmond Hill will maintain boulevards at the rear of properties, and boulevards at the side of properties next to four (4) lane collector highways).
• Gardens containing wildflowers are exempt provided they are in an area which is clearly defined from the lawn;

The Grass and Weeds By-law allows Richmond Hill staff and contractors to access private property to remove grass and weeds, which do not comply with the By-law. The cost for any removal can be charge back to the property.

https://www.richmondhill.ca/en/our-services/Grass-and-Weed-Bylaw.aspx

Q3:  how many FTE and contractor city has for grass / trails/ parks services in summer plus summer students etc?

A3: Currently the City has 13 FTE positions and 18 summer students/seasonal staff covering around 227.46 hectares of land.  Contracted services cover up to 36.6 hectares of land, but we do not have details regarding the number of staff they use to deliver the service.  Our staffing levels are structured to ensure efficient and timely maintenance while accommodating fluctuations in demand (due to seasonal and weather related factors) in various functions within Parks Section as well as specific project requirements.

Q4: what is the SLA for grass/trees/parks/trails cutting?

A4: Please see A1 for answers. 

Q5 How can we get support from the community and residents to cut off the trees/branches in time? 

A5: There are legal and safety concerns when engaging volunteers to do work on City property.  City staff also need to be properly trained and need to have the resource capacity to lead groups of volunteers, often high school students, families and seniors, in maintenance and stewardship events as described.  

Richmond Hill’s Community Stewardship Program offers residents the opportunity to participate in stewardship events which are aimed at maintaining previously planted restoration areas.  Volunteers work with the City’s natural environment staff or one of our program partners who are trained and qualified to lead volunteers. They are also fully insured and covered by WSIB. Residents can learn about and sign up for these events on our website.  The program does not facilitate volunteers in routine maintenance of city trails and infrastructure.  Also, these areas are often not prescreened or assessed ahead of time when maintenance occurs and as a result we cannot ensure participant safety from hazardous plant material, failing trees, tree limbs or vegetation they may encounter, among other things.

Should residents have concerns about maintenance of city walkways and infrastructure they can put in a call to Access Richmond Hill and staff will be dispatched to inspect and address the areas as required, if routine maintenance is not already scheduled in the near future.

Q6: Should the city issue warnings and penalty when bushes/tree branches reach to neighbor’s property? 

A6:  There is no by-law violation that applies to this situation. This is a matter that needs to be worked out between neighbors. The Owner of a tree has no obligation to prevent branches or roots from growing into a neighboring property. The neighbor has the right to cut them off at the property line, but must do so in accordance with “good arboricultural practices” as defined in the Private Property Tree Preservation By-law. This generally requires a discussion between neighbors to work it out the best approach. A qualified arborist would be helpful in working out a solution.