2020 Richmond Hill newsmakers defined a year like no other

2020 may not be a year you want to remember, but it will be a year to be forever etched into history.

Yorkregion.com
Jan. 4, 2021
Sheila Wang

Starting with a tragic airplane crash that killed multiple people from Richmond Hill, ending with an unprecedented global crisis that took away 13 residents, 2020 may not be a year you want to remember, but it will be a year to be forever etched into history.

As the year (finally) swings to a close, we’re looking back on the highlights, the heartbreaks and, most importantly, the men and women who built up hope and resiliency during the dark days in Richmond Hill.

While medical officer of health, Dr. Karim Kurji, was the top Newsmaker of the Year for York Region, here are four Richmond Hill newsmakers that made headlines in 2020.

The Richmond Hill-based hospital has been undoubtedly at the forefront of the battle against the novel coronavirus across York Region communities over the past nine months.

The health-care provider with the busiest emergency department in Ontario operates one of the four hospital-based the assessment centres for COVID-19 in York Region.

Since the region moved into lockdown on Dec. 14, the assessment centre conducted an average of 5,000 tests per week, a significant increase from the first wave.

Despite its continued efforts to enhance capacity, the Richmond Hill hospital alongside two other hospitals warned in December that they had reached a “tipping point” in the battle against the virus due to an upsurge in the number of patients being admitted for COVID-19.

Mary-Anne Dempster: City Manager Amid Pandemic
Confronted by the spread of COVID-19, committed to quick actions to curb the public health threat, Richmond Hill’s new chief executive hit the ground running amid a global crisis.

Mary-Anne Dempster, who stepped into the new role as city manager this June, has taken the helm in leading the city’s responses to the pandemic, from implementing safety measures and maintaining essential services to restructuring government.

In the face of a discordant council and quick turnover of higher-ranking city employees, Dempster has made steady advances with a number of initiatives and programs in efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the municipal operations, residents and businesses.

Craig Lee: Survivor of COVID Cruise
After an extraordinary month-long quarantine on the other side of the world, Richmond Hill resident Craig Lee is looking forward to travelling but probably not on a cruise ship right away.

The retired schoolteacher made headlines locally and beyond earlier this year as he went into a forced isolation in Japan following a COVID-19 outbreak on the cruise ship he was on.

Neither the two-week quarantine at sea nor the 16-day isolation in a Japanese hospital dampened the 72-year-old’s spirits, who found ways to overcome loneliness while fighting off the virus.

Good neighbours: Local Heroes

Not all heroes wear capes. In Richmond Hill, they sew masks and bake cookies.

As soon as COVID-19 started to take its grip locally, a group of volunteers called Richmond Hill Good Neighbours -- connected through social media -- came together to provide help for those in need throughout the community amid the devastating pandemic.

Adriana Pisano Beaumont, is a self-employed health-care worker in Richmond Hill, launched the Facebook group on March 16 with the hope to donate face masks to those who needed them.

The initiative has quickly transformed into a community hub where more than 700 volunteers work tirelessly to help people in a variety of ways.