Dorothy Pearl Harrison Price was born on 3 June 1907 in Toronto, Canada to Hugh and Jennie Harrison. She was the second of five children and at the time of the 1921 census, the family was living at 54 Metcalfe Street, in what is now known as the Cabbagetown Heritage District.

Dorothy married Arnold Price on 13 July 1929 in St James Cathedral, a church she had regularly attended with her family as a child. At the time of her marriage, Dorothy was 22 years old and worked for the Bell Telephone Company; Arnold worked as a radio engineer but would eventually sell radios as an electronics salesman. Through the Great Depression, the couple moved around Alberta and Ontario to take whatever work they could find. During this time, they raised two children – their son was born in 1932 and their daughter 13 years later.

Arnold and Dorothy moved to Richmond Hill around 1956, becoming one of the first families to settle in the eastern part of the city. They were founding members of the Anglican Church of St Gabriel, Thornhaven School, the Home & School Association at Walter Scott Public School, the Richmond Hill YWCA and several other local organizations. Dorothy’s mother, Jennie Harrison, lived with the family until her death in 1962.

The Price’s bought a cabin at Bernard Lake, where they vacationed over several summers. When they were home, the couple would regularly host social gatherings at their home on Fernleigh Circle. During their time in Richmond Hill, their children grew up; their son James married and moved to Vancouver, BC with his young family and their daughter married a military pilot and moved abroad.

Dorothy was a supporter of the Progressive Conservative Association, working as Secretary of the Richmond Hill branch and running for Ward 2 Counsillor in a local election. She was later gifted a a silver tray by Ontario Premier John Roberts in 1965 in honour of the work she did for the party.

After her husband’s death in 1971, Dorothy, continued her community work, acting as President of the Club 35 Senior Citizens Club, Campaign Chariman for the Richmond Hill unit of the Canadian Cancer Society and founding the Richmond Hill branch of Meals on Wheels. She travelled often, visiting her son and daughter in various parts of Canada, former Richmond Hill residents in England & Wales and participating in trips with her Seniors’ groups, which brought her as far as Europe and the Arctic Circle.

Dorothy passed away on 7 September 1982, after spending several months in the hospital due to complications from a bad fall. After her death, many of her friends, including former Richmond Hill mayor William Lazenby, formed the “Tribute to Dorothy Price committee,” which began a campaign to raise money for several different tributes that would show appreciation for her broad range of community work. By the end of the campaign, the committee had raised around $1,200 that was donated to York Central Hospital in Dorothy’s name as well as $100 that was donated to the Markham-Stouffville Hospital fundraising campaign. The City also agreed to change the name of Bedford Park at Pugsley Avenue and Bedford Street to Dorothy Price Park in her honour.