5 Reasons to Make Richmond Hill Your Home

The diverse city of Richmond Hill is York Region’s third most populous municipality and one of the fastest growing cities in Canada since the 1990’s. A family-friendly community with an abundance of recreational options and business opportunities for its residents, Richmond Hill is a place to live, grow and thrive. 

Read on to discover 5 reasons why you should consider making the beautiful community of Richmond Hill your home!

This municipality has a lot to offer! Some of the key highlights for those looking for a house for sale in Richmond Hill would include: the tranquil ambiance of a small town, the close proximity to Toronto, countless activities and social events, top-notch recreational parks and swimming pools, and a rich golfing experience. 

Peace and Quiet of a Small Town

With an emphasis on arts, culture and environment, Richmond Hill is the ideal landscape in which to nurture a healthy, active and engaged lifestyle for your family. And while the city may offer residents all the modern resources of a bustling metropolis, there is a certain “small-town” charm that continues to underline this thriving community. From work to leisure – Richmond Hill has it all. Delivering residents the benefits of both urban and suburban living, this community seems to have mastered a unique balance in local lifestyle. Business opportunities and urban expansion may be booming here – but the steady growth of this city hasn’t diminished the community values which lay the foundation of Richmond Hill’s humble roots. 

Close Proximity to Toronto

For many, proximity to Toronto is a key factor in any home search. With so many home-seekers looking to secure a quiet home landscape – without finding themselves too far out from Toronto, it can prove to be a difficult search. Known as “the city above Toronto”, Richmond Hill is ideally-situated for convenience and mobility, located at the center of the Greater Toronto Area, with several points of access via transit systems, major highways, ports and airports to facilitate getting around. By car, the drive from Richmond Hill to Toronto’s core is about 40km, which translates to approximately 45 minutes. 

Outdoor Activities and Social Events in Richmond Hill 

Staying active and nurturing social connections is easy in Richmond Hill, where residents and visitors are able to partake in countless local offerings. 

Outdoor activities in the area include:

• The Adventure Series program: With the Adventure Series passport, participants can enjoy seasonal activities and earn rewards for completed levels and challenges. For the Winter 2022 series, the program features a bonfire bash, snowshoe hikes, archery and more!

• Community gardens 
• Fishing: Designated areas for fishing include Lake Wilcox (permitted from boats, private shoreline areas and the fishing dock in Lake Wilcox Park, across from Jessie Vanek Park), Humber River, Rouge River and Don River.

• Oak Ridges Moraine: Part of Richmond Hill is located on a natural landscape called the Oak Ridges Moraine, which spans over 160 km from the Niagara Escarpment to the Trent River. This unique feature is also the thickest piece of glacial material in Ontario, formed during the last ice age approximately 13,000 years ago. Here, visitors can take in the natural beauty of the area along designated trails. 

• Outdoor education programs: For the outdoor enthusiasts in your family, Richmond Hill offers activities catering to every age and skill level, including programs offered in schools, daycares, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and local community clubs

• Outdoor skating: Enjoy a fun-filled day on the ice at local outdoor skating rinks, including these three popular picks:

• Richmond Green Skate Trail – Open 10 am to 10 pm daily (weather dependent), this 250 metre looped skate trail includes lights for evening skating and plenty of parking. Located at 1300 Elgin Mills Road East right next to Tom Graham Arena, this skate trail is free for use by all, with no registration needed
• Mill Pond
• Lake Wilcox
• Parks, trails and natural areas: There is no shortage of parks, trails and natural areas within Richmond Hill for residents and visitors to enjoy and stay active in. The city contains 167 parks, trails spanning 150 km and approximately 689 hectares of undeveloped natural areas. You can view the city’s official parks and trails brochure here. Local park areas feature playgrounds, splash pads, basketball and tennis courts, athletic fields, a skate park, and more!

• Skateboarding: A unique offering, Richmond Hill is home to not one, but TWO skate parks! The Richmond Green Skate Park is located in the northwest corner of Richmond Green Park at 1300 Elgin Mills Road East and the Lake Wilcox Skate Park located at 50 Olde Bayview Avenue Elgin Mills Road East

• A cyclist’s paradise: Enjoy amazing local cycling routes, which include 90 km of bike only routes, 57 km of bike routes with edge line or shared-lane, 13 km of bike lanes in residential areas and business parks, and over 150 km of trails.

Another unique destination for residents and visitors is the local observatory. Take in the night sky at the David Dunlop Observatory, which houses the largest telescope in all of Canada. Opened in 1935, the observatory also serves as an active research centre for the University of Toronto’s Astronomy and Astrophysics Department, where important ongoing studies and experimental programs are helping to further our reach and understanding of the universe.

Social Events in Richmond Hill 

Social events in Richmond Hill are an exciting way to engage with your fellow community members, spend time with friends and family in new and fun ways, and network with other local business owners. 

Just a few of the many social events residents and visitors can look forward to in Richmond Hill include:

• Seasonal event series: For Winter 2022, residents enjoyed virtual events such as the Santa’s Village Drive-Thru, the Richmond Hill Winter Lights event and First Night, a virtually-held New Year’s Eve celebration. 

• Concerts in the Park

• Culture Days: A national celebration that takes place from September 24 to October 24, the City hosts free activities for community members to discover the world of artists, creators, historians, architects, curators, and designers at work.  

• Doors Open Richmond Hill: This event supports cultural sites in the community as Richmond Hill opens its doors to everyone for this free event, first launched in 2002. 

• Drive-In Moonlight Movies

• RibFest

The city’s official website offers up-to-date details on local festivals and events to help locals stay in loop.

Recreational Parks and Swimming Pools in Richmond Hill 

Swimming pools in the area provide a source of entertainment and activity for residents, with the indoor pools offering visitors fun and enjoyment year-round. 

The city of Richmond Hill’s official website offers information on swimming pool facilities, admission information, hours of operation and more. You can find all of those details here. 

Local recreational swim programs include: women-only swims, “fun’n’fit” swims, women’s lane swim, lane swim, leisure swim, older adult swim, private rentals, wave swim and more. 

With many ongoing Covid-19 protocols still in place, it’s advisable that residents and visitors check official facility websites beforehand to ensure your preferred swimming pools are open for use. 

These are some of Richmond Hill’s popular local swimming pools:

• Bayview Hill Community Centre and Pool: This location offers swimming classes for all ages, recreational swim for fitness and leisure, aquafitness lessons, birthday party packages and more!

• Centennial Pool: This swimming pool facility offers guests a variety of programs, including aquafitness lessons, registered lane swim, registered fitness swim, junior lifeguard program, lifesaving programs (advanced levels) and more. 

• Elgin West Community Centre and Pool: Richmond Hill’s Elgin West Community Centre and Pool has the following features: leisure pool, toddler pool, pool viewing gallery, multi-purpose room, meeting rooms, fully-accessible facility, complimentary wifi, adult programs, 55+ programs, children and pre-school programs, teen programs, outdoor adventure series activities, summer camp programs and so much more!

• Oak Ridges Community Centre and Pool: This pool and community centre is based in a 56,000 sq ft facility and offers a six-lane, 25 m leisure pool, waterslide, teaching tank, changerooms, sauna, views of Lake Wilcox, Oak Ridges Moraine eco-centre, fitness studeo and aerobics centre, 7,000 sq ft gymnasium, full kitchen facility, general program rooms, adult and youth program rooms, elevator and free wifi for guest use. 

• Richvale Community Centre and Pool: This facility offers a swirl pool, main pool with six lanes and spanning 25 m, fully accessible facility with fully accessible changerooms, a universal changeroom, complimentary wifi, programs for adults, adult 55+ programs, children and pre-school programs, camps, fitness programs and more.

• The Wave Pool: This indoor wave pool features a 100 ft waterslide with rainbow effects, and on-deck sauna and warm water swirl pool with male, female and family changerooms, accessibility ramps at entrance, wheelchair lift into the water via the swirl pool, therapeutic-use section of the pool, elevators, complimentary wifi, and more. 

The city contains 167 parks, trails spanning 150 km and approximately 689 hectares of undeveloped natural areas for residents and guests to enjoy. 

Richmond Hill parks are fully equipped with everything your family needs for the perfect day of activity outdoors, including: playgrounds, basketball courts, tennis courts, athletic fields, splash pads, a skate park, skate trail, picnic areas and more.

Sports lovers will appreciate Richmond Green Sports Centre and Park, which offers a 26,000 square foot indoor sports centre, an outdoor basketball park, two ice skating rinks, three outdoor soccer fields, seven baseball diamonds, a state-of-the-art skateboarding park – and plenty more! 

Don’t forget to check out the Sports Hall of Fame, which presently features 62 inductees, paying homage to those who have contributed to the rich and vibrant sports fabric of this community.

Crosby Park ranks as one of the city’s most popular parks. As Richmond Hill’s first fully-accessible park, the area has been designed as a space where people of all abilities can safely get active and take part in outdoor recreation. Some of the features include: a water play area (featuring a frog pond and rain wall), a sensory garden, bird-watching zones and a new access point for drop-offs to facilitate access to Centennial Pool. 

Crosby Park’s playground is an innovative fully-accessible outdoor facility. Featuring gently sloping ramps with railings, a rubberized space for play, both rubberized and non-rubberized swing areas, an elevated sandbox and a double-width slide for both children and accompanying caregivers – this park was truly designed with “play for all” in mind

Rich Golfing Experience in Richmond Hill 

Golf enthusiasts will appreciate the many options for award-winning golf and grounds in Richmond Hill. From public to private facilities, this community is a treasure trove of top-notch grounds for everyone from the avid golfer to the novice level enthusiast. 

Some of the most popular golfing destinations in Richmond Hill include: 

• Bathurst Glen Golf Course: A family-friendly and public golf-course featuring 18-hole golf. 

• Bloomington Downs Golf Course: “Friendly – relaxed – open to all” is the motto at this family-friendly golf course, with sprawling lush grounds and a 20-acre practice facility. 

• Diamondback Golf Club: Home of four Canadian PGA championships, this 18-hole private golf course has been a go-to for serious golf enthusiasts since it first opened in 1993.

• Richmond Hill Golf and Country Club: This challenging 18-hole golf course offers CPGA instruction, leagues, event coordination and a fully stocked pro shop.

• Summit Golf and Country Club: Opened in 1912, the Summit Golf and Country Club offered a challenging Stanley Thompson designed course to its guests and is known as the “#1 golfers club in Canada”.

With so much to see and do in Richmond Hill, you might also be curious to know about local schools, business opportunities and more from this thriving and diverse community. Check out our Richmond Hill Community Profile for more information. 

Curious to know more about Richmond Hill – and the many other communities that Your Community Realty serves? Check out our Community Profile page for more information and be sure to sign up for our New Listing Notifications today!