Annual Report 2012 - Town of Richmond Hill

Our Progress
Planning for a Connected Community
Richmond Hill has high levels of community engagement, as
evidenced by attendance at events over the past three years.
Mill Pond
Goal One:
Stronger Connections
in Richmond Hill
Connections make everything work;
stronger connections make
everything work better.
2 0 1 2 C O M M U N I T Y S U R V E Y
87% of residents who visited a park, trail or
natural area in the last year said they felt
connected to nature.
85% of residents agreed that Richmond Hill
is a welcoming community.
81% of residents feel a strong sense of
belonging.
71% of residents feel there are meaningful
opportunities to volunteer.
71% of residents feel connected to their
neighbours.
Percentage Satisfied
70
65
60
55
50
45
40
2012 Community Survey: Community Engagement
Engagement
Opportunities
2007 2012
Percentage Participating
50
40
30
20
10
0
Public
Meetings
Open
Houses
Civic Participation
Council
Meetings
Citizen
Committees Roundtables
Meetings
Budget
There have been numerous opportunities for individuals to
become involved in shaping town priorities: development of
the Official Plan, Cultural Plan, Civic Precinct Project and
Public Art Policy have all included engagement activities
designed to solicit community input. Similar activities are
planned over the course of 2012 as part of the developing
Parks Plan and Recreation Plan. Richmond Hill’s approach
to community engagement has increased participation rates
substantially higher than those of other municipalities.
Opportunities and Places for People to Connect
and Get Involved
We are committed to providing residents with opportunities to
connect with us in a way that works with their busy schedules.
The expansion of services through Access Richmond Hill
(ARH) and on the Town’s website provides residents with the
flexibility to access the information and services they need
either in person, by phone and online.
Access to Information: Access Richmond Hill and Website Usage
2009
2010
2011
67,412
100,414
102,409
21,100
24,470
26,101
Not offered
5,872
7,941
1,295,877
1,269,784
1,362,943
Increase in calls, walk-ins, emails and website visits from 2009-2011.
ARH is one of the key Town initiatives for providing residents
with better opportunities to access information and connect
with us. More and more residents of Richmond Hill are
taking advantage of ARH services to connect with the Town.
Since 2009, ARH has seen a 52% increase in the volume of
calls handled, a 24% increase in walk-in traffic and a 259%
increase in the number of service requests. Website hits have
also been increasing.
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Swimming Lessons at Bayview Hill Pool