Richmond Hill receives more than $800K for Canada 150 celebrations

Yorkregion.com
May 8, 2017
By Kim Zarzour

The Town of Richmond Hill has received more than $800,000 in funding to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary.

The funds will support the town’s Canada Day celebrations and local Canada 150 projects, including street banners and utility boxes decorated with community art, as well as a significant portion of the costs for the revitalization of Morgan Boyle Park.

Richmond Hill MP Majid Jowhari joined Mayor Dave Barrow and members of council on Apr. 26 to announce three grants from the Government of Canada.

A Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program grant of $790,000 will help offset costs for the rehabilitation of Morgan Boyle Park, located on Pearson Avenue just north of Garden Avenue.

The project, slated to be finished in August 2017, includes the replacement of park playgrounds; installation of a splash pad and covered outdoor structure; rehabilitation of the tennis courts and softball diamond; increased accessibility; and an upgraded parking lot.

The splash pad and plaza area will incorporate Canada 150 design elements.

An additional $15,000 grant will contribute to Richmond Hill’s Canada 150 activities, including the street banner contest, which invited residents to design pieces of visual art based on the theme Past, Present and Future.

The selected banners can be seen on Yonge Street between Major Mackenzie Drive and Crosby Avenue, as well as Richmond Hill’s Facebook page.

This grant will also support the mural project, which will feature murals painted on eight utility boxes throughout town.

The submission deadline for artwork is July 27, and the completed mural boxes will be unveiled on Sept. 30.

A third federal grant provides $15,000 toward Canada Day celebrations at Richmond Green Park with live entertainment, a teen zone, children’s village, beer garden, food from around the world and the region’s largest firework display.

“The 150th anniversary of Confederation is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate all that it means to be Canadian,” said Jowhari. “I am pleased to see that through these funds, the Town of Richmond Hill is able to provide our vibrant community with opportunities to take part in this nationwide celebration.”

For more information about Richmond Hill’s Canada 150 initiatives, visit RichmondHill.ca/Canada150.