The Strong Towns Richmond Hill (STRH) Local Conversation Group held its latest monthly meeting on Sunday, January 11, continuing its regular schedule of gathering on the second Sunday of each month. The meeting took place at Richmond Hill Public Library’s Central Branch and brought together a mix of long-time participants and new members eager to get involved.
The discussion focused on several forward-looking priorities for the year ahead, beginning with the upcoming municipal elections in Richmond Hill. Members talked through STRH’s approach to local campaigning, emphasizing education, community engagement, and advocacy rooted in Strong Towns principles rather than partisan politics. Closely tied to this was a conversation about funding—specifically, how to secure resources to support sustained grassroots activism related to election-year efforts.
Beyond elections, the group also turned its attention to strengthening its internal community. Planning future social events was raised as a way to build relationships, welcome new members, and create more informal spaces for conversation about city-building issues.
Several longer-term projects were also discussed. One proposal involves developing a directory of public and private places across Richmond Hill, ranked by how well they align with Strong Towns values such as walkability, pedestrian access, and human-scaled design. Another key idea was the creation of a comprehensive map of Richmond Hill’s bike routes, aimed at making existing infrastructure more visible while highlighting gaps and opportunities for improvement.
As with past meetings, the January gathering reflected STRH’s collaborative and action-oriented approach: sharing ideas, identifying practical next steps, and grounding big goals in local, achievable efforts. The group continues to welcome residents interested in making Richmond Hill a safer, more financially resilient, and people-focused community.