… or Are We Forgetting What Makes a City Charming?

Recently, a question making the rounds on social media asked bluntly: Is Richmond Hill losing its charm? Some of the comments that followed suggested it might be true. The Richmond Hill of old—the “a little north, a bit nicer” town—seems to be slipping away, replaced by subdivisions of new housing, busier roads, transit expansion, and a more diverse population. For some, even the arrival of newcomers from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds was framed as a sign that Richmond Hill isn’t what it used to be.

But here’s the thing: cities are not static. They are living organisms. They grow, evolve, shrink, and sometimes even decline. Expecting a city to remain frozen in time, locked in the exact moment we first encountered it, is neither realistic nor fair. The development patterns of the last 70 to 80 years in North America tried to do just that—design cities as if they could reach a “finished” state. The result has been a landscape full of car-dependent suburbs, unaffordable housing, unsafe streets, and sterile environments that often lack true community.

If we’re worried about Richmond Hill losing its charm, maybe we’re asking the wrong question. Instead of longing for a version of the city that can’t come back, we should be asking: What actually makes a city charming, and how can we nurture that in Richmond Hill as it grows?

Human-Scale Design

Charm often begins with the way a city feels to walk through. Narrow, walkable streets invite people to linger and connect. Wide, car-dominated roads push them away. Consider the contrast between downtown Richmond Hill and Bayview Avenue. One is intimate, scaled to people, lined with storefronts and sidewalks. The other is built for speed and traffic flow, not for charm.

Buildings also play a role. We are drawn to architecture that feels approachable rather than overwhelming. This explains why many residents bristle at high-rise condos—they tower over the street, creating shadows rather than warmth. Human-scale design makes space for public life: cozy parks, cafés with patios, and small shops that add delight to a simple walk.

Architectural Character

A charming city is one where architecture tells a layered story. Richmond Hill has pieces of this—its historic churches, the old post office, and the homes along Church Street all give a sense of depth and identity. These aren’t just structures; they are cultural anchors, reminders of where we’ve come from.

Details matter too: materials, colors, ornamentation, and proportions. Charm isn’t about having every building be old, but about blending old and new in ways that feel authentic. When we protect and celebrate architectural character, we keep alive the threads that tie past generations to present ones.

Vibrant Street Life

If you’ve walked through downtown Richmond Hill on a summer evening, you’ve seen how charm thrives when people fill the streets. Cafés with outdoor seating, sidewalk musicians, small shops staying open late—these create the atmosphere of a place alive with possibility.

Vibrancy doesn’t come from large shopping malls or parking lots. It comes from people walking, cycling, and gathering in public. Charm is not a backdrop; it is something we co-create through our presence and participation.

Nature Woven In

No city feels charming without nature stitched into its fabric. Richmond Hill’s tree-lined streets, pocket parks, and gardens tucked into corners remind us that greenery doesn’t just beautify—it softens and humanizes. Seasonal changes add another layer: blossoms in spring, lush green canopies in summer, colorful leaves in autumn, and snowy stillness in winter.

Even small touches, like flowers along a sidewalk or a shaded bench under a tree, give people a reason to slow down and feel at ease. Charm often lives in these quieter, softer details.

Sense of Discovery

Charm comes from surprise as much as from design. Hidden courtyards, winding lanes, and unexpected viewpoints create the joy of discovery. Local shops—rather than a strip of identical chains—offer unique finds and personal connections. Neighborhoods with distinct identities invite people to explore beyond their daily routines.

Richmond Hill has the raw material for this: small plazas, older neighborhoods, and local businesses. The challenge is to protect and enhance these spaces instead of replacing them with developments that erase their individuality.

Cultural Richness

A charming city is not one frozen in a single cultural moment, but one alive with diversity. Local food, festivals, and traditions infuse the streets with color and rhythm. Public art, murals, and performances turn ordinary days into something memorable.

Richmond Hill’s growing diversity is not a loss of charm—it is a new chapter in it. Each wave of newcomers brings stories, flavors, and creativity that make the city more textured and interesting. Cultural richness is one of the most powerful engines of charm, if we’re willing to embrace it.

Warmth and Hospitality

Finally, no city can be called charming without warmth. This is less about buildings and parks, and more about people. Charm is the smile of a shopkeeper, the nod of a passerby, or the feeling that you are welcome to linger. It’s about safety that comes not from sterility, but from familiarity and comfort.

Richmond Hill can keep this spirit alive if residents and leaders alike prioritize creating spaces that encourage connection rather than isolation.

The Real Question

So, is Richmond Hill losing its charm? Only if we believe charm means preserving the past exactly as it was. Cities change, and so do our experiences of them. The challenge isn’t to resist growth, but to shape it in ways that foster human scale, architectural character, vibrant streets, nature, discovery, cultural richness, and warmth.

Charm doesn’t vanish when new housing is built, or when new people arrive. It vanishes when we stop caring about the details that make daily life delightful. Richmond Hill is still charming—and it can be even more so—if we focus on nurturing the qualities that make any city a place worth loving.