Former Richmond Hill Mayor Dave Barrow passed away

Dave Barrow, a former Richmond Hill mayor and councilor who dedicated more than 35 years of his life to public service, has died.

Dave was born and raised in Richmond Hill, where he also received his education. He attended McConaghy Public School, Richmond Hill High School, and Ryerson Polytechnical Institute (now known as Toronto Metropolitan University) before entering the family business and later running for municipal office in Richmond Hill.

1978 marked the beginning of Dave’s political career when he was elected to serve as the Councillor for Ward 4. He continued to serve as Councillor until 1985, when, following the passing of his father, Elgin Barrow, he went back to working in the family business. In 1997, Dave successfully competed for and won a position in a regional council. This marked his return to the political arena. On November 13, 2006, he won election to the position of Mayor for the first time. He went on to win reelection on October 25, 2010, October 27, 2014, and most recently on October 22, 2018. During his time in office, he sat on a number of boards, including the boards of the York Regional Police Services Board and the GO Transit Board, where he was appointed by the provincial government to serve as chair.

Dave has been an active member of the community for more than 35 years, and the City and the Chamber of Commerce have both honoured him for his services to the town. Due to the significant contributions Dave has made to the local community over the years, he was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

On September 15, 2021, Dave left his position as a council member for Richmond Hill.

In recognition of the many years of service that the previous Mayor provided to the City of Richmond Hill, the Dave Barrow Square was formally dedicated on September 15, 2022 by the Richmond Hill Council.

All of the City’s buildings have taken down their flags.

Beginning on Friday, September 23, and continuing through Monday, October 3, books for the community to sign expressing their condolences will be available. They will be available during regular business hours at the main Municipal Offices, which are located at 225 East Beaver Creek Road and will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They will also be available during regular business hours at the Richmond Hill Public Library’s Central Branch, which is located at 1 Atkinson Street.