Richard Davis’ announcement that he won’t seek another term as mayor of Richmond Hill means the end of an era, the Richard Davis era.

That probably means that in the coming months a lot will be said about the man and the mayor. Some of it will be good, some of it won’t. That’s politics. That’s also to be expected regarding anyone who serves in public office, especially someone who serves as long and passionately as Davis -- he also spent 10 years as a councilman before becoming mayor.

After all, when Davis was first sworn in as mayor of Richmond Hill in 1988, the town had a population of 2,900. Fast forward 21 years and it seems at least that many motorists fill the city’s main thoroughfares on Hwys. 144 and 17 on an hourly basis.

No, this is no longer the same sleepy little town it was once when Davis was first elected. Some may rue that fact, but the bottom line is whatever Richmond Hill might have been in the "good old days," these days it is a bustling city of 11,000 armed with a unique set of attractions and faced with a number of challenges, from balancing the demands of growth to preserving what made this place special to begin with.

Our hope is those who seek to follow Davis are up to the challenge.

And while more will be written about the mayor and his legacy as time goes on, we believe that even his sternest critics will have to admit that Davis’s impact on Richmond Hill and the Coastal Empire will long be felt.