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Strategic PlanImplementationAnnual Report2011

Richmond Hill,

where people come

together to build

our community.

A Message fromthe Mayor

On behalf of all members of Council and

Town staff, I am pleased to present

you with our second Strategic Plan

Implementation Annual Report.

As we reach the end of Phase One of

implementation, this report highlights our

many accomplishments of the past year.

Phase Two is now underway and will

bring with it opportunities for connection,

innovation and change. Throughout

this new chapter, we look forward to

continuing to work with you towards

achieving our vision for the future:

.

Sincerely,

Dave BarrowMayor

From Vision to Action – Phase One Accomplished.....................1

Key Areas of Focus.............................................................................21. Provide Leadership.........................................................................22. Engage the Community...................................................................83. Focus on Communication............................................................104. Align Town Plans to the new Strategic Plan..........................125. Undertake New Initiatives..........................................................136. Invest in our Community...............................................................15

Case Studies in Successful Implementation...............................161. Our areas of focus in action: the Town’s new Official Plan...162. Improving physical connections through Trails and

Cycling infrastructure...................................................................173. is for greater waste diversion..........184. Developing our Cultural Plan for a

Richmond Hill.................................................................................185. The Oak Ridges Community Centre: an investment in

our community...............................................................................19

Maintaining Our Momentum: Phase Two of Implementation...20

C O N T E N T S

Richmond Hill Council (2010-2014)Standing (left to right):Ward 5 Councillor Nick Papa,Deputy Mayor/Regional & Local Councillor Vito Spatafora,Mayor Dave Barrow,Regional & Local Councillor Brenda HoggWard 6 Councillor Godwin Chan

Seated (left to right):Ward 2 Councillor Carmine Perrelli,Ward 1 Councillor Greg Beros,Ward 3 Councillor Castro LiuWard 4 Councillor Lynn Foster

Richmond Hill, where people come

together to build our community.

Richmond Hill Strategic Plan Implementation Annual Report was approvedby Richmond Hill Council on June 13, 2011.

From Vision to Action – Phase One Accomplished

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O U R V I S I O N

Our Strategic Plan is “a plan for the people, by the people.” It is a community collaboration thatestablished our shared vision for the future and the goals we must achieve to realize it:

Richmond Hill, where people come together to build our community.

Goal One: Stronger Connections in Richmond HillConnections make everything work; stronger connections make everything work better.

Goal Two: Better Choice in Richmond HillBetter choice is not the same as more choice. Better choice means having better quality options toachieve our community vision for Richmond Hill.

Goal Three: A More Vibrant Richmond HillSome of the best places to live and do business are dynamic and diverse. They have a unique sense ofplace and identity. They are vibrant.

Goal Four: Wise Management of Resources in Richmond HillWise management means making decisions about how we consider and use our resources inRichmond Hill for this generation and those to follow.

In support of our vision and goals, we developed an Implementation Plan to guide our short- andlong-term efforts between 2009 and 2014. Phase One (2009-2010) is now complete. This reportcelebrates all that we achieved over the first phase of implementation.

applauseOn March 1, 2011, the Association of Strategic Planning (ASP) awarded an Honourable Mention toRichmond Hill for its process as part of the annual Richard Goodman Strategic PlanningAward program, recognizing excellence in the field of strategy.

We are proud to be recognized among the 2011 winners.

R I C H M O N D H I L L S T R A T E G I C P L A N A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 1

Phase One of Strategic Plan implementation showed our strong commitment to six key areas offocus, which will continue as we move forward into Phase Two.

we will act:We will and . We will leverage ourstrengths in these areas.

we will do:We will , and also

. We will build on what we are doing now by advancing new initiatives andinvestments that will move us forward.

The following summarizes our efforts in each of our six key areas of focusover the past year, representing the completion of Phase One implementationof our Strategic Plan.

1. Provide leadershipRealizing our community vision depends asmuch on how we do it as what we do.Providing leadership means working withother levels of government and organizationsto influence the issues and policies that affectour Town. It also means engaging with othercommunities to find common ground and toinitiate partnerships.

Over the past year, Council and staff continued to work with other levels of government tofurther meet the needs of our community. In particular, we:

remained active members of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) and hadrepresentation on its Board of Directors;participated regularly with the Large Urban Mayors Caucus of Ontario;presented the Town’s infrastructure priorities for the next 10 years to the Province through theMinister of Energy and Infrastructure;met regularly with Ministers and staff of Provincial and Federal governments to advance theTown’s interests on a number of issues; andcontinued to advocate for the extension of the Yonge Subway line by chairing the YongeSubway Task Force of York Region and working with the Region, the City of Vaughan andthe Town of Markham.


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Key Areas of Focus

Two projects highlight Richmond Hill’s effortsto work with partners to achieve our vision:

Sustainability Guidelines for New DevelopmentsWith the support of a grant from FCM’sGreen Municipal Fund, Richmond Hill ispartnering in this endeavour with the Citiesof Brampton and Vaughan. The project willdevelop sustainability guidelines that willallow the municipalities to identify andquantify opportunities for energy andgreenhouse gas emissions (GHG) savingsduring the development approval process.

Sustainable Neighbourhood Retrofit ActionPlan (SNAP)This pilot project will help Richmond Hill,in partnership with the Region of York andthe Toronto and Region ConservationAuthority (TRCA), identify opportunitiesto implement sustainable practices on acommunity-wide scale. Focusing on theLake Wilcox area of Oak Ridges, SNAP willdetermine the best course of action topreserve the ecological and hydrologicalintegrity of this community.

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The Town’s success in securing grant funding from two Federal Economic Stimulus programsis an example of the leadership shown by Council and staff. Having our 10 Year Capital Plan, along-term infrastructure investment program, allowed us to quickly identify 13 projects that couldbe “shovel ready” upon short notice. As a result, these projects were accelerated and their $29.4million cost shared equally by the Federal government, the Provincial government and the Town.

Funding in actionInfrastructure Stimulus Fund (ISF) projects,valued collectively at $22.1 million, include:

Axminster Drive Road Reconstruction Claridge Drive Road Reconstruction Leisure Lane Road Reconstruction Town-wide Cycling Infrastructure Project Elgin Barrow Arena Rehabilitation Eyer Homestead Historical House Restoration George Forster Historical House and Barn

Restoration

Recreational and Infrastructure CanadaProgram (RInC) projects, valuedcollectively at $7.3 million, include:

Bond Lake Arena Rehabilitation Richmond Green Soccer Field Renewal Crosby Park Soccer Field Renewal Crosby Park Tennis Court Rehabilitation Dorothy Price Park Play Structure and

Pathway Replacement Shaun Beggs Park Play StructureReplacement

Efforts to renovate and restore the Town’s original post office, constructed in 1936 and located atthe corner of Yonge and Centre Streets (10184 Yonge Street), is another example of the leadershipof Council and staff. Not only is the Town protecting a special heritage building, but it is alsohelping to revitalize the downtown core and develop the area as a vibrant destination for residentsand visitors alike.

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In matters concerning the environment theTown also continues to lead by example.Richmond Hill was the first municipality inOntario to not only meet, but to exceed, ourcorporate greenhouse gas emissions (GHG)reduction target under the Partners for ClimateProtection program. We set a reduction targetat 20% but achieved a reduction of over 30% –a milestone that is all the more significantconsidering the Town’s population grew by 37%during the same timeframe. In February 2011,our achievements in GHG reduction werehighlighted at a Cross-Canada ClimateChampions Panel as part of the Federation ofCanadian Municipalities SustainableCommunities Conference.

Our environmental efforts

How did we reduce our carbon and energy footprint in 2010?

Geothermal heating and cooling at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts Solar water heating at the Town’s Municipal Offices Energy efficient equipment upgrades at 10 Town buildings Vehicle fleet biodiesel use Hybrid vehicles purchase and use Wind turbine and solar panel installation at the Richmond Green Sports Centre LEED building policy for Town buildings Building energy audit program Energy Management Plan development and implementation Anti-idling program implementation

We furthered our efforts in support ofenvironmental sustainability this year with thecreation of an Environmental Services Division.This new group will become the Town’s Centreof Excellence with respect to the environment,coordinating our green initiatives and focusingon the development and implementation ofpractical programs to protect our environment.

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A model for energy management

Richmond Hill’s Energy Management Plan, which sets out energy conservation targets for all Townfacilities, has been recognized as a best practice of municipal energy planning by the Association ofMunicipalities of Ontario’s Local Authority Services (LAS) group. The Plan is featured at energyplanning workshops offered by Natural Resources Canada and LAS as an effective model for othermunicipalities. Between 1992 and 2009, the Town reduced its energy demands by 328,000 gigajoulesthrough the implementation of numerous energy conservation measures in our facilities –representing a cost savings of over $7 million.

The Town’s Pioneer Park Stormwater Management Facility also continues to be recognized for itsinnovative approach to protecting the community from flooding while improving water qualityand fish habitat. On January 27, 2011, it received the 2010 Technical Innovation Award from theOntario Public Works Association. Previously, the project earned the first annual Federation ofCanadian Municipalities National Watershed Award (Ontario Region) for taking proactivemeasures to reduce vulnerability to damage from severe storm events. Pioneer Park is the firstmajor stormwater management facility rehabilitation project in Canada and exemplifies theTown’s leadership in this area.

Protecting our green spaces

As part of Richmond Hill’s ongoing commitment to the protection and enhancement of green spaces,the Newberry Park Wetland Restoration Project transformed an unused section of the park into a fullyfunctioning wetland complex. Accessible connecting trails and interpretive signage now provideabundant outdoor recreational and educational opportunities. The initiative was completed with theassistance of the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation, Ontario Streams and the Ontario Ministry of NaturalResources – and it has not gone unnoticed. Once again, Parks and Recreation Ontario (PRO) hasrecognized Richmond Hill with an Excellence in Design Award for the project, which also earned theService to the Environment Award from the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects (OALA).

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Creating space where people can come together and celebrate the arts is yet another exampleof the Town’s leadership. The design and development of the Richmond Hill Centre for thePerforming Arts (RHCPA), for example, was a community collaboration that sought to create afacility that recognized the past while providing a vibrant meeting place. On November 4, 2010,the RHCPA received the Jury’s Choice Award at the 10th Annual Wood WORKS! Awards Program,recognizing outstanding and memorable construction projects for their use of wood in design.Glowing wood panels in the lobby, curved wooden balconies and a sweeping stage all make alasting impression on patrons of this one-of-a-kind facility.

RHCPA: Did you know?

Between the opening of the Richmond HillCentre for the Performing Arts in February2009 and the end of March 2011 there were:

141 theatre-presented shows 535 community-presented shows 28 theatre-presented films 24 theatre-presented outdoor concerts 206,722 tickets sold for theatre events

Richmond Hill’s economic leadership was recently recognized by Foreign Direct Investment(fDi) Magazine’s American Cities of the Future 2011/12 ranking, which declared Richmond Hill aleading “City of the Future.” Richmond Hill was judged against 405 cities across North and SouthAmerica on many categories including economic potential, human resources, cost effectiveness,quality of life, infrastructure, business friendliness and foreign direct investment promotionstrategy. Ultimately, we placed fourth among all “Small Cities” and were the only municipality inCanada named to this category’s top 10.

Committed to our community

Throughout 2010, Town staff raised over $85,000 for the United Way of York Region, surpassing our targetby more than $12,000. Our fundraising efforts – which included a Dragon Boat Race, theevent, a bake sale, an internal Amazing Race and a payroll deduction program – earned Richmond Hillthe in the large municipality category for a fourth straight year.

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2. Engage the CommunityOur vision – Richmond Hill, where people come together to build our community – can become areality when Council, staff and the community work together and become involved. Communityengagement is about having active and meaningful connections based on common goals, such asthose set out in our Strategic Plan.

One way Council engages with the community is through its citizen committees, which provideadvice on a range of matters. In 2010, the Town hosted its first Citizen Committee Open House toprovide potential applicants with information about the various committees, available roles andcommitment requirements.

In seeking new committee members, the Town also benefitted from a new partnership with theMaytree Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to reducing poverty and inequality inCanada and to building strong civic communities. In addition to advertising committee positionsin our local media, the Foundation posted them on its DiverseCity onBoard website to connectracially and ethnically diverse communities to these opportunities to become involved in thegovernance of our Town. Ultimately, a total of 160 people applied for 50 positions on eightcommittees, an overwhelming response that builds on the civic engagement efforts of the PeoplePlan Richmond Hill process. On January 13, 2011, the successful candidates officially took theirpositions and committed to their roles of providing advice and assistance to Council.

On May 9, 2011, the Maytree Foundation presented Richmond Hill with its Diversity inGovernance Award, which recognizes non-profits and public agencies, boards and commissionsfor their efforts in promoting diversity at the highest levels. Reaching out to all parts of ourcommunity, as we did through our citizen committee appointment process, and being inclusivein our decision-making processes is central to being a place “where people come together tobuild our community.”

Our citizen committees

Accessibility Advisory Committee Road Watch Committee Committee of Adjustment Heritage Richmond Hill Mayor’s Endowment for the Arts Property Standards Committee Richmond Hill Heritage Centre Advisory Committee Richmond Hill Public Library Board

Council is also engaging the community through three newly formed task forces that will involveresidents in discussions and decisions on important issues and Council priorities. The People PlanTask Force, for example, is guiding and assisting the development of the Town’s Cultural Plan,and will support the development of our Parks Plan and Recreation Plan. These three importantplans will guide the Town’s direction in each of their respective areas and will move us furthertowards achieving the goals, outcomes and strategies identified in our Strategic Plan.

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The Economic Development Task Force is guiding the implementation of our new EconomicDevelopment Strategy. The result will advance the Town’s efforts to become a regional centre forsmall business, take action to become the “Creative Centre” for York Region, attract creative andtechnology-based businesses and industries, and engage with business leaders to developRichmond Hill as a premier business location in the Region.

Lastly, the Civic Precinct Task Force will advance the Town’s efforts to create a community-focused area in the Downtown that conveys a sense of place. This Task Force will consider howto create spaces and places that meet the needs of Richmond Hill residents and businesses,including opportunities such as those enabled by a Town Hall or other Town assets in the area.

Each of these three task forces will be charged with undertaking a range of communityengagement activities, similar to those used throughout the development of our Strategic Plan.The People Plan Task Force and the Economic Development Task Force are already meetingregularly, while the Civic Precinct Task Force is expected to begin its work in mid-2011.

In addition to citizen committees and task forces, the Town continues to engage the communitydirectly to influence the direction of our policies and programs. Recent examples of our ongoingcommunity dialogue include:

a community engagement strategy for the development of the Town’s Cultural Plan;establishment of the Economic Development Business Leadership Council to support theimplementation of the Town’s Economic Development Strategy;an on-line survey of the business community about social media and web 2.0;an on-line survey to seek input into the new Oak Ridges Community Centre program offerings; anda number of open houses and information centres on neighbourhood parks and roads designs.

Another way Richmond Hill engages with ourcommunity is through our Natural HeritageStewardship Program, which createsopportunities to work together to enhanceour local environment. In 2010, more than1,700 volunteers contributed their time tostewardship programs while 21 schools,businesses and other groups participated instewardship events. Almost 19,500 trees andshrubs were planted throughout the Town’swatersheds and our Healthy Yards Programsold more than 660 native trees and shrubsand 2,100 native wildflowers to residents forplanting in their own yards.

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3. Focus on CommunicationCommunication within our communityinvolves initiating dialogue, listening andresponding to what we hear. For the Town,it means fostering an understanding of whatwe do, raising awareness of our variousprograms and services, and inviting new ideasin service of our community.

We achieved a significant step forward in communicating with our residents last year with thelaunch of the new Town of Richmond Hill brand.

The appealing new logo acts as a strong identifier, builds on our solid reputation, helps aligncommunications across departments and standardizes the look and feel of all Town publications,signage and vehicles. As a fiscally responsible measure, all items featuring the Town’s former brandwill be exchanged over time as they are scheduled for replacement or as there is a specific need.

On May 25, 2011, our efforts in developing the new brand were recognized by the InternationalAssociation of Business Communications/Toronto, which presented the Town with an Award ofMerit in conjunction with its annual OVATION Awards program. In its recommendation, theIABC jury commended Richmond Hill for its efforts in involving the community and noted thatthe new brand clearly conveys a fresh new story and image for the Town.

Access Richmond Hill (ARH), our one-window contact centre, continues to be an effectivepoint of contact for communication between residents and the Town. In 2010, ARH staffresponded to over 100,000 calls, handled 7,923 service requests and met face-to-face with24,470 walk-in customers. Our Language Line service is also available to those who wish topursue their inquiry in one of over 170 different languages.

Our service commitmentTown Council and staff are “committed toproviding exceptional public service to ourcommunity.” One of the ways we achieveour Mission is by setting response timetargets for citizen inquiries. For example, theservice level target atis responding to 70% of calls received within30 seconds. In 2010, ARH staff exceeded thistarget by responding to 80% of all calls within30 seconds.

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To improve how we communicate and in keeping with the Town’s translation policy, wetranslated six additional brochures this year – for Building Permits, Front Yard Parking, PropertyStandards, Pet Ownership, Open Air Burning and the Town’s Fireworks By-law – into Chinese,Russian and Farsi. These languages represent the top three spoken at home in Richmond Hill inaddition to English.

As we move forward, the Town continues to strengthen our relationship with the media sothat we can reach out to different parts of our community. In 2010, we expanded our mediacontact list to include eight new ethnic newspapers that represent the Indian and South Asiancommunities in the GTA. In all, we are regularly in contact with over 60 media outlets to assistin communicating the Town’s messages to our residents via newspaper, television and radio.

Listening and responding to what we hear from our community is a key component of the Town’sfocus on communication. We are continuing to use the People Plan Richmond Hill modelfor the development of our Cultural Plan in order to actively seek community views on the culturalfuture of Richmond Hill. A range of opportunities to provide input – including an on-line survey,focus groups for businesses and other interested parties, a forum, and community soundings forvarious ethnic groups and youth – will ensure the Cultural Plan is truly “a plan for the people,by the people.”

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4. Align Town Plans to the new Strategic PlanA primary component of Phase One Implementation involved aligning all of our corporate planswith the vision and goals identified in the new Strategic Plan. These documents – including theOfficial Plan, Transportation Master Plan and the Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan – providespecific guidance and direction to assist us in building the Richmond Hill we envision for the future.

The following table identifies those Town plans that were completed during Phase One. The findingsand directions of these plans will now be implemented in Phase Two. During this second phase,we will also finalize the Town’s three remaining plans.

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

Official Plan

TransportationMaster Plan

Cultural Plan

Parks Plan

Recreation Plan

DowntownDesign andLand Use Study

Regional CentreStudy

Pedestrian andCycling MasterPlan

Planning andRegulatoryServices


CommunityServices


CommunityServices




The new Official Plan, adopted by Council in July 2010, reflects thepriorities of the Strategic Plan and specifies planning and land-usepolicies to guide the physical development of our community.Implementation will occur over the next three years.

The Transportation Master Plan, originally approved in 2006 andupdated in Spring 2010, reflects the priorities of the new StrategicPlan and Official Plan. It recommends specific actions to facilitatechange throughout Phase Two of implementation.

Guided by the People Plan Task Force, a new Cultural Plan will reflectthe priorities of the Strategic Plan and will be a comprehensivelong-term plan that will shape the cultural development of the Town.

Guided by the People Plan Task Force, a new Parks Plan will reflectthe priorities of the Strategic Plan and will update the Town’s ParksMaster Plan to give effect to the policies of the new Official Plan.

Guided by the People Plan Task Force, a new Recreation Plan willreflect the priorities of the Strategic Plan and will provide a strategyfor addressing the recreational needs of the community.

Completed in June 2009, the Downtown Design and Land Use Studyprovides a vision for the Downtown to guide development andinvestment in the area. It includes strategies for land use, circulation,heritage and design, as well as recommendations to implement thislong-term vision.

The Regional Centre Study produced a strategy for developing thisarea as an inter-modal transit or “mobility hub.” It was completed inSeptember 2009.

The Pedestrian and Cycling Master Plan was completed inDecember 2009. Its mandate is establishing a safe, convenient,continuous and connected pedestrian and cycling system within theTown of Richmond Hill.

DESCRIPTION & PROGRESS TO DATEACTION RESPONSIBILITYLead Department

TIMEFRAME2009-2010 2011-2014

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ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

Phase Two

ServiceImprovementInitiatives

High-RiseWaste Diversion

Corporate andFinancialServices

ChiefAdministrativeOfficer

Environment andInfrastructureServices

The Town is continuing to expand the services available at, its one-stop access point for residents. New offerings

including a Language Line, a winter maintenance inquiries option,Mayor and Council Community Events, Economic Development andFreedom of Information requests. Additional options will continue tobe introduced to improve service to our residents.

The Town is constantly evaluating and improving our delivery ofservices in an effort to maximize efficiency, effectiveness andflexibility. Upcoming efforts will include a review of the operationsand maintenance function of parks and public works, as well as areview of regulatory services.

This new initiative, begun in 2009, has expanded the diversionprogram into multi-unit apartment buildings, assisting the Town withits mandate. To date, 14 buildingscomprising 2,300 units are participating, with full rollout expectedby 2012.


TIMEFRAME2009-2010 2011-2014

5. Undertake New InitiativesChange is a central theme of our Strategic Planand, correspondingly, the Town will movetowards achieving its vision by undertakingnew initiatives. Several exciting new projects– including the development of an EconomicDevelopment Strategy, the creation of a new brand for the Town and the expansion of servicesavailable at Access Richmond Hill – have already been accomplished during Phase One ofStrategic Plan implementation.

The chart below illustrates our progress on these completed initiatives as well as the status ofprojects that continue to be underway. Further new initiatives are identified in our Phase TwoImplementation Plan.

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ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

RegionalRecyclingCentre

Civic Precinct

BrandingStrategy

Website Update

EconomicDevelopmentStrategy

HeritageServicesReview

Fire TrainingCentre

Grants Strategy

GreenPurchasingStrategy







CommunityServices



A Community Environmental Centre is under construction and willprovide residents with a drop-off site for a variety of reusable/recyclable materials. It is scheduled for completion in Fall 2011.

The Civic Precinct Task Force will guide our efforts to create acommunity-focused area in the Downtown that is vibrant and has asense of place. This will include further discussions on how to createspaces and places that meet the needs of the community includingopportunities such as those enabled by a Town Hall or other Townasset in the area.

Council approved a branding strategy in June 2010 to celebrate theTown's unique identity. The strategy is used to market the Town andreflects our vibrant community.

The Town's website was updated in Fall 2010 to support theimplementation of our Branding Strategy.

The Economic Development Strategy was completed in March 2010.Council has established the Economic Development Task Force,which first met in March 2011, to assist in the implementation ofthis strategy.

Phase One of the Heritage Services Review was completed inSpring 2010 and Phase Two is expected to be completed in Fall 2011.These reviews will assess how the Town stewards its heritageresources and recommend a vision for the future.

The Fire Training Centre opened in Fall 2009 and was fully operationalas of Spring 2010. This dedicated facility provides training for Firestaff in Richmond Hill, other municipalities and other public andprivate institutions such as Seneca College and York Region Police.

The Grants Strategy identifies priority grant-seeking areas on anannual basis. In 2009, the Town received $17.6 million fromInfrastructure Stimulus and Recreation Infrastructure fundingprograms, as well as $4.3 million in Gas Tax funding. In 2010, Gas TaxFunding totalled $5 million and the Town received $40,000 in fundingfor the development of its Cultural Plan.

A Green Purchasing Strategy will support and is scheduled for completion in 2011.


TIMEFRAME2009-2010 2011-2014

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6. Invest in our CommunityThe Town’s infrastructure – including its buildings, roads and water and sewer systems – are quiteliterally the foundation of our community. Building and maintaining this infrastructure in a waythat meets the community’s changing needs is an integral step in allowing us to achieve our vision.

While the following table is not a comprehensive list of every investment made by the Town, itshows our progress on a number of significant investments completed during Phase Oneimplementation, as well as those projects that are ongoing. Our Phase Two Implementation Planidentifies other projects that the Town will be initiating over the next three years.

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

Oak RidgesCommunityCentre

District 6Fire Hall

Trails andCyclingInfrastructure

Wind Turbine atRichmond Green

Solar Panel Installat Bayview HillCommunity Centre

Low EmissionVehiclesPurchase

RichvaleAthletic FieldsReconstruction

CommunityStewardshipProgram

Artificial Turf forRichmond GreenSoccer Field


CommunityServices




CommunityServices




The Oak Ridges Community Centre, scheduled for completion inNovember 2011, will provide opportunities for people to connect andbe active. This Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)silver certified building will also be a symbol of the Town's commitmentto the

A new fire hall in north Richmond Hill will enhance community safetyand promote . The facility is expected to beoperational in Spring 2012.

The first phase of the Trails & Cycling Infrastructure is to becompleted by June 2011. This new network, which expands theexisting infrastructure, will facilitate greater physical connectionsand opportunities to be active.

Completed in Spring 2010 as part of the Town's green infrastructureprogram, the Wind Turbine project demonstrates the Town'scommitment to renewable energy programs and to modelingenvironmental management.

Part of the Town’s green infrastructure program, the Solar PanelInstallation project is scheduled for Summer 2011. The investmentdemonstrates the Town’s commitment to renewable energy sources.

An initiative of the Town's green infrastructure program, the purchaseof low emission vehicles beginning in 2011 demonstrates the Town'scommitment to the and to being a role modelfor environmental management.

Completed in Fall 2010, the reconstruction of the Richvale AthleticFields has provided an improved range of sport and recreationopportunities to the immediate area. The result is

within the local neighbourhood and community.

This ongoing capital program is comprised of various natural heritagepartnership projects. These strive to improve the Town’s urban forestcover, ecologically enhance the Town’s lakes, rivers and wetlands,and engage the community in natural area stewardship andenvironmental restoration initiatives.

The Artificial Turf Soccer Facility at Richmond Green involves theconversion of existing soccer fields to enable a higher quality playsurface, longer play season and lower maintenance costs. Itpromotes and also supports local soccer clubs.The investment is expected to be complete in Summer 2011.


TIMEFRAME2009-2010 2011-2014

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Developing a Strategic Plan is something many organizations do, but few succeed at

implementing. By building a comprehensive Implementation Plan and isolating key

areas of focus, Richmond Hill has laid the groundwork for effective, phased Strategic

Plan implementation. The following case studies showcase our efforts over the past

year, which marked the conclusion of Phase One. These success stories highlight some

of the ways we have “come together to build our community.”

Our areas of focus in action: the Town’s new Official PlanThe development and approval of our new Official Plan (OP) in July 2010 exemplifies how theTown’s six key areas of focus help bring our Strategic Plan to life. Using leadership throughout,the Town developed the OP using the People Plan process, an approach to community engagementand communication that is unique to Richmond Hill. We spoke with and listened to the peopleof our community to discover their dreams and vision and to determine how the Town shouldgrow in the future.

Next, we developed an OP that aligns to the overall vision of our community. Specifically, theplan establishes land use policies that will allow us to manage growth in a way that reflects ourlocal community character. The plan’s title, “Building a new kind of urban,” truly captures our“made in Richmond Hill” approach to addressing growth in our community.

The approval of the OP allows us to moveforward with additional new initiatives suchas the development of Secondary Plans for theOak Ridges, Downtown and Regional Centreareas of Richmond Hill, all of which will formpart of the second phase of Strategic Planimplementation. And with a clear and up-to-date land use plan, we have a strong sense ofwhere investment is required, such as newinfrastructure and facilities to support our“new kind of urban” community.

Together, we are “building a new kind ofurban” in Richmond Hill – with leadership,Innovation and vision based upon ourguiding principles of complete communities,environment, economy, place-making andconnectivity & mobility.

Case Studies in Successful Implementation

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Improving physical connections through Trails and Cycling infrastructureGoal One of our Strategic Plan is “strongerconnections in Richmond Hill” and theimplementation of the Town’s Pedestrian andCycling Master Plan (PCMP) accomplishesexactly that. By developing a safe, convenient,continuous pedestrian and cycling trail withinRichmond Hill, people are empowered andencouraged to use alternative modes oftransportation.

In 2010, the Town installed approximately 148 kilometres of on-road bike routes, includingsignage and pavement markings, in both residential neighbourhoods and business parksthroughout the community. These improvements, originally scheduled for implementation overthe next several years, were completed in one year as a result of the Town’s successful applicationfor Infrastructure Stimulus Funds (ISF).

Our newly expanded trails not only strengthen our physical connections, they also provide anopportunity for residents to become more active and healthy. Phase Two of the PCMP, nowcurrently underway, involves the implementation of a marketing and communications strategythat includes the development of a Town cycling network map to educate and promote thebenefits of safe cycling. In addition, over 51 kilometres of sidewalk are planned for installationover the next 25 years, as well as a further 19 kilometres of new or refurbished trails.

For more information on the many rewards that active transportation such as walkingand cycling can provide, visit RichmondHill.ca/ShiftGears.

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is for greater waste diversionBuilding on the success of the Town’sGoingGREEN organic waste program,Richmond Hill is proud to be a provincialleader by extending green bin collection tohigh-rise apartment building residents.Starting in late 2009 as a pilot project andexpanding in 2010 and beyond, this programprovides each unit with the necessary tools fora three stream waste sorting system: organic,recyclables and garbage.

There are approximately 80 high-rise buildings in Richmond Hill consisting of more than 9,000apartments or condominiums. Today, 14 buildings comprising 2,300 units are participating inthe green bin program, with full implementation anticipated by 2012.

In 2010, Richmond Hill residents diverted 67% of material from landfill. By continuing to worktogether, we are certain to achieve the 70% waste reduction target as set out in our Joint WasteDiversion Strategy while fulfilling our goal of wise management of resources in Richmond Hill.

Developing our Cultural Plan for a Richmond HillThe development of a Cultural Plan that alignswith the overall vision and goals of our StrategicPlan is a priority project for the Town in 2011.This plan will provide an overarching andinclusive vision of the Town’s future culturaldirection and set out specific actions toundertake in this area in the coming years.Our Cultural Plan’s development is beingsupported through a $40,000 grant from theProvince of Ontario’s Creative CommunitiesProsperity Fund.

Like the vision set out in both our Strategic Plan and Official Plan, our cultural vision for thefuture must be directed by the people of Richmond Hill. To facilitate this, Council has establishedthe People Plan Task Force to guide the development of our Cultural Plan, as well as the futureParks Plan, Recreation Plan and Environment Strategy. The task force will implement a specificcommunity engagement strategy that includes surveys, focus groups and roundtable discussionsthroughout the development of the Cultural Plan, ensuring that all residents have opportunity tocontribute to a more vibrant Richmond Hill.

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The Oak Ridges Community Centre: an investment in our communityThe Oak Ridges Community Centre, which is currently under construction and expected to openin Fall 2011, exemplifies much of what is envisioned by our Strategic Plan. The facility is a placewhere people will come together to connect with their neighbours and become involved with theircommunity. It will provide residents with better options for being active through a range ofrecreation and other programs. It will represent an exciting destination in Oak Ridges that buildson the area’s unique sense of identity and place. Finally, it will showcase Richmond Hill’scommitment to environmental stewardship.

The Centre will be a landmark facility within an integrated site that achieves the sensitive balancebetween much-needed recreational services and the natural environment. Located on BayviewAvenue between Bayview Park Lane and the Bethesda Side Road, the 56,000-square-foot buildingoffers dramatic views of Lake Wilcox while providing ecological benefits to the lake and theOak Ridges Moraine.

The Community Centre was designed using a comprehensive, interactive process and is beingbuilt in accordance with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silvercertification standards. Its amenities include:

a six-lane leisure pool, including slidecomponent, separate teaching tank andchange areas;an Ecological Centre, providing educationalprograms and activities related to theenvironment and the Oak Ridges Moraine,in particular;a fitness studio and aerobics room;a 7,000-square-foot gymnasium;a kitchen;two general program rooms;a seniors/youth program room; andan administrative area.

Investing in our community has far-reaching benefits when directed by a strong and balancedStrategic Plan. By exemplifying the four goals that are vital to its realization, the Oak RidgesCommunity Centre supports our future vision of Richmond Hill, where people come togetherto build our community.

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This report represents the conclusion of Phase One of our Strategic Plan implementation. Over thepast two years, our focus has been on working with our community to ensure our corporate plansalign with our collective vision and goals. To this end, we have completed many new initiativesand investments and have reported our progress along the way. We have accomplished all ofthis by providing leadership, engaging with our community and focusing on communicationwith our residents.

It is now time to move even closer to achieving our vision. Our Phase Two Implementation Plan(which can be accessed at RichmondHill.ca) sets out how we will continue to work with thecommunity over the next three years as we action our Phase One plans. Building on our PhaseOne successes, our Phase Two Implementation Plan identifies how we will act and what we willdo by directing new initiatives and investments for completion throughout the balance of ourimplementation timeframe.

Phase Two will also reflect the Town’s evolution in how we monitor our progress and report tothe community. We have developed a number of key performance indicators to measure progressas the new directions, policies and recommendations of completed plans begin to take effect.We will first report on these performance indicator results in our Spring 2012 Annual Report.

Our Strategic Plan has put our community on a course of connection, innovation andchange as we move towards our future vision:

As we embark on a new chapter of implementation,the Town and its residents can be proud of all that has been accomplished in supportof our community vision.

Maintaining Our Momentum: Phase Two of Implementation

Photography Credits:

All pictures in the Strategic Plan ImplementationReport are of places and people in Richmond Hill.Pictures have been provided by David West

Richmond Hill,

where people come

together to build

our community.

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Richmond Hill, where people come together

to build our community.

Town of Richmond Hill225 East Beaver Creek RoadRichmond Hill, ON L4C 4Y5

Tel: 905-771-8800Email: [email protected]

Website: RichmondHill.ca

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