The City of Richmond

The City of Richmond is an island and its average elevation is just one metre above sea level. It is situated approx 13 kms, about 20 minutes by car from Vancouver. It has a population of 164,345 (Census 2001) people and is the second largest Asian community in North America.

The City has approx 1400 acres of Parks; these are made up of city, community and neighbourhood parks, having many different facilities including children's play grounds, sports fields and picnic areas.

Richmond has 80 kilometres of Trails which lie atop the dyke system; they are perfect for walking, jogging, cycling and horseback riding and have an abundance of wildlife. There are enough trails to keep you busy for a lifetime - and fit too! Conservationists will love the Richmond Nature Park which is in the heart of Richmond and is a 40 hectare park that is an ancient peat bog and has many plants and animals. The Park has an interpretive centre that has interactive displays which are perfect for children. There are four trails in the park and a picnic area.

Iona Beach Regional Park is located just north of Vancouver International Airport and has 2.5 km of beach and dunes, the ponds attract many varieties of waterfowl. The 4.5 km Iona Jetty is great for walking or cycling and offers amazing views.

The City of Richmond has an excellent Recreation Program that offers something for all ages and abilities. The Minoru Aqautic Centre has a total of five pools, water slides, rope swings and diving boards. There is also an exercise room and massage and physiotherapy services.

A bit further afield is the Watermania Aquatic Centre which is part of the Riverport Sports and Entertainment Complex, it has a 57 metre competition pool, a wave pool, waterslides, diving boards, whirl pools, a sauna and steam room and a 3000 square foot fitness centre.

The two Outdoor Pools are open during the summer months - the South Arm pool has a heated pool, waterslides, a wading pool and a picnic area, while the Steveston pool has a 25 metre heated pool, a slide and a tot pool. The Minoru arena has two regulation size rinks which are open from September to April and the Richmond Ice Centre has 6 regulation size rinks and offers year round ice. There are minor hockey programs aswell as skating clubs and junior hockey.

The Minoru Place Activity Centre offers programs and activities for the seniors of the area.The City of Richmond is divided into eight local areas; each area has its own community centre and community association offering programs for all ages.

The City is served by School District 38 and has 39 elementary schools and 12 secondary schools. The Kwantlen University Campus provides post secondary education and is located in Richmond - several other major educational institutions are with in commuting distance.

The City has three main Shopping Areas, the Golden Village is a number of Asian themed malls in the heart of the city, they offer a good variety of the stores and services and have everything from the major retailers to unique boutiques and specialty stores and have some of the best restaurants and food courts around.

The historic Steveston Fishing Village offers a variety of village shops that allows you to stroll along the waterfront away from the busy malls, there are fishmongers, boutiques, jewellery stores and galleries. The Richmond Centre was named the best shopping centre in the Lower Mainland for two years running, there are 240 stores and services.

According to world health organizations people in Richmond have the greatest life expectancy in Canada! The health care is provided by Vancouver Coastal Health and the Richmond hospital has 24/7 emergency care.

Public Transport is provided by Translink, the Coast Mountain Bus Company operates within the city providing bus services to neighbouring cities.

The local communities have a good mix of housing types available, prices are at the mid to higher end compared to other areas in the GVRD, the average price for a detached house is $516,178 (June 05).