The countdown to “Earth Hour 2009 – Richmond Hill” has begun!  This year’s festivities will include group talks that centre on the representation of the solar system in the park as we “Walk the Solar System”!  Telescopes will be set up for observing of different celestial objects with experienced astronomers, and there will be “guided” sky tours given by astronomers explaining and interpreting the night sky.  There will be plenty of fun for all ages – kids and adults!

There will be a Richmond Hill Naturalists fundraising table and a table with advocacy letters which everyone will be encouraged to sign and they will be hand-delivered to Richmond Hill’s Mayor Dave Barrow stating the people’s demand for 100% Significant Cultural Landscape Heritage designation of the Dunlap site, whether recommended or not by the decision of the CRB, which is expected soon.

Everyone will be able to sign their names to a “love letter” to the Dunlap, and we will be holding a candlelight vigil for the Dunlap site which will represent the Great Dome sitting watch over us just to the north of The Solar System Park.

*Please dress warmly, wear boots and shoes that will stand up to possible muddy and soft grass conditions, bring blankets to sit on, and a tarp if you have one. Bring binoculars if you have them and flashlights and/or lanterns – we will have red cellophane to place over your flashlights to keep the light down to an “Earth Hour” and night-vision acceptable minimum!

Global Earth Hour is from 8:30pm – 9:30pm EDT, so we advise you start arriving around 8pm to be safely on-site by 8:30pm.

*If it is cloudy, we are still a “GO”, but if it is raining, assume the Earth Hour festivities will not be ongoing.*

With best regards and looking forward to seeing you all there, Your Earth Hour 2009 Organizing Committee.

Date: Saturday March 28th, 2009
Time: 8:30pm
Place: David Dunlap Observatory Park, 350 – 16th Avenue, Richmond Hill

PLEASE NOTE:  The David Dunlap Observatory Park is not the main Dunlap site.  Our venue is  “The Solar System Park” which is situated behind the Elvis Stojko Arena on 16th Avenue