As the town of Richmond Hill continues to grow and intensify, it will need to acquire sufficient parkland to meet the needs of the community. The town’s Parks Plan and park dedication bylaw provide the tools for it to meet these needs by ensuring that the right amount and type of parkland is set aside and provided for use by the community where it is needed.

Specifically, the Parks Plan makes recommendations on the number of sports fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, splash pads and other outdoor recreation facilities the town will need to build; the number and type of parks (destination, community, neighbourhood, etc.) it will need to acquire and develop; the total area of parkland Richmond Hill will need to acquire; key directions for improving and enhancing the park system; and a process for deciding when older parks should be redeveloped to meet changing needs.

Richmond Hill is becoming more densely populated and more urban, so it needs to plan for a parkland system that is equitable, long-lasting and appropriate for the community now and in the future.

We have come to enjoy a certain level of parkland provision and experience; however, under current legislation and given projected population growth, Richmond Hill’s per capita parkland provision level will decline over time.

The Parks Plan deals exclusively with municipal parks — unencumbered lands secured and owned by the municipality primarily for active recreational use — not all green spaces.

The Parks Plan is available at www.RichmondHill.ca.