City of Richmond Hill Council, David Dunlap Observatory

Recipient of the Carlos Ventin Award for Municipal Heritage Leadership

The Richmond Hill City Council has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to the rehabilitation and conservation of the David Dunlap Observatory (DDO) in Richmond Hill. With Council’s efforts, the DDO’s doors have been opened to the public so that anyone can be a student of the stars. Established in 1935 by the University of Toronto, the DDO is a 40-hectare site which includes an Observatory and Administration Building. When the DDO was sold to a developer in 2008, residents and astronomy advocates feared that the Observatory would be destroyed and the property converted to housing. In 2009, the site was even named one of Heritage Canada’s Top 10 Endangered Sites. However, after an Ontario Municipal Board hearing and negotiations between resident groups, the City, and other parties, a large portion of the lands were given to the City in 2017. The City is transforming the DDO to a destination park that will serve the residents of Richmond Hill and attract visitors from across the GTA.

However, major work was required to restore the buildings to public use, and Council took steps to ensure this. Through a Conservation Management Plan and a Master Plan, the long-term vision for the property was established. In 2021, the Observatory and Administration Building were restored to their former glory. Further repairs were made in 2024 and 2025 to the Observatory dome’s interior. Today, the DDO is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act and as a National Historic Site for its contributions to astronomical research. This project is an example for other communities who are facing large and daunting restoration projects.

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