There had been no formal process in place for granting funds to the group, no application form required and no follow-up requested on the group’s expenses and in 2013, a majority of councillors passed a motion asking Arts Richmond Hill for audit information.

That information was never received, Ash said.

DiMarco said the group felt an audit would be expensive and unnecessary.

“We had full disclosure. An accountant prepared our statements, although they weren’t audited.”

An audit, he said, would cost about $5,000 and the organization — which was led in the past by former Ward 5 councillor Nick Papa, as president and treasurer — did not feel it was needed.

“Maybe it was politics, when Nick was there, I don’t know. He filed statements with Revenue Canada. Nothing leads me to believe he would not disclose …. There was full transparency,” said DiMarco.

“We’ve had a whole hodgepodge of things come at us and it’s left a bitter taste in the mouths of many people.”

The situation is further complicated by a request from the town that the group reconsider the location and look at the possibility of holding the event in an arena, rather than closing down Yonge Street to traffic.

“Not only have they refused to provide any financial support, they have made it extremely difficult for us to even secure a location, nor have they shown any initiative to even provide any moral support in helping us with this festival,” DiMarco said in an email.

“We are very disappointed in having to make this decision, however, town council has provided us with no alternative.”

But not everyone is upset about the cancellation. Many members of the village’s BIA (Business Improvement Area) complained that the Heritage Festival hurt business, said chairperson Mehrdad Sabouhi.

“It was extremely difficult to open for business on the day of the festival,” he said. “At the same time, other businesses — like physiotherapists, chiropractors, hair salons — were coming to the village, setting up tents and competing.”

Sabouhi said he sent letters to Arts Richmond Hill about the stage being set up in front of the Tridel building and blocking storefronts there, while other businesses on Yonge north of Major Mackenzie complained of being blocked by trucks, storage and garbage connected to the event.

“They never responded,” he said. “I love any festival ... but even the name Heritage Village Fest seemed wrong.”

Instead of a celebration of the beautiful old buildings and churches, with local farm food and historical farm implements for kids to learn from, Sabouhi said the festival had evolved into a “free market”.

The BIA hopes to replace Heritage Festival with a different event next summer: an International Village Festival.

Yonge Street would still be closed, but the 350 local business members would involved in a celebration village’s many cultural groups, Sabouhi said.

The festival, featuring food, vendors and performances from different ethnic communities, would attract 10-15,000 people to the core and it would be held in July, when weather should be better, he said.

DiMarco, meanwhile, hopes to take Arts Richmond Hill “to a higher, more prestigious level.

“We are starting from scratch, trying to get back to the original mission... to promote arts and culture.”

Going forward, he said, the group plans to move in a “more modern/progressive direction [with] more upscale, professional artistic events that will provide a broader appeal to the Richmond Hill artistic community.

That will include a Chinese symphony orchestra performance in August and in the fall, a Richmond Hill-born screenwriter now working in Los Angeles will create a show for the performing arts centre, he said.

Instead of a holiday tree-lighting ceremony, DiMarco said there is talk of a Mill Pond festival with “old-time Christmas spirit”. Asked about DiMarco’s statement that the town has withdrawn support, Ash said to her knowledge, Arts Richmond Hill has not sent official correspondence to town staff.

“We intend to connect with Arts Richmond Hill about this matter going forward.”

The town is grateful for the service that Arts Richmond Hill provides to the community, she added.

“We both share a common interest in creating an opportunity for artists to express themselves and share their talent with the community. We wish them every success in their future endeavours.”