Dave Barrow

Barrow was born in Richmond Hill, Ontario, on May 7, 1947,^[1][2] to Elgin "Tubby" and Mary Barrow.^[2][3] He completed his primary education at McConaghy Public School, before attending Richmond Hill High School in his hometown. He then studied at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.^[1]

Barrow was first elected to political office in 1978, representing Ward 4 in the Richmond Hill city council. He served in that capacity until 1985, when he went back to his family's business – an insurance brokerage company established by his father in 1964^[4] – following the death of the elder Barrow.^[1][5] After just over a decade outside politics, he made a comeback in 1997 when he was elected to the York Regional Council.^[1] Barrow voted against giving himself and fellow councillors a salary increase of 54 per cent in 1998, stating that it was "not sending a very good message" to municipal staff and the public.^[6] He later voted in favour of having certain travel and conference expenses incurred by councillors' spouses covered at the expense of taxpayers in October that same year.^[7] He also advocated for the preservation of the Oak Ridges Moraine,^[8] and was opposed to the provincial government's proposal to construct housing on the landform.^[9] During the 2003 municipal election, Barrow ran on a platform of alleviating traffic congestion in the area and starting a road safety-watch program.^[8] He became deputy mayor that year,^[3] and was acting mayor when incumbent William F. Bell underwent hip surgery in February 2004.^[10]

Barrow was elected mayor of Richmond Hill in November 2006,^[5] following Bell's retirement.^[11] He was succeeded as regional councillor by Vito Spatafora.^[12] Although Barrow called for the town hall to be relocated back to the city's downtown – as part of an overall plan to revive the core of Richmond Hill^[3][13] – he later walked back on the plan, reluctant to devote a significant amount of the municipality's reserve funds into a single project.^[14] Barrow was subsequently re-elected in 2010, 2014, and 2018.^[1] In late 2017, he declined an offer from the provincial government to host a cannabis retail location in Richmond Hill, a decision that received unanimous support from the city council.^[15] Barrow took a medical leave of absence starting in February 2021. Although he intended to resume his duties as mayor by the fall that year,^[16] he ultimately resigned from the position in September 2021,^[17][18] and was succeeded by David West after a by-election.^[19][20]

Barrow was married to Tomye Anne until his death.^[2][21] Together, they had two children: Greg and Jennifer.^[2]

Barrow died on the morning of September 22, 2022, in Richmond Hill.^[1][2][21] He was diagnosed with dementia and a stroke prior to his death at the age of 75.^[2][22]

Barrow was the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012).^[23][24] In September 2022, a week before his death, the Richmond Hill council dedicated the Dave Barrow Square, located east of the city's Central Library, in his honour.^[24] A portion of the trail in the Oak Ridges Corridor Conservation Reserve was also renamed the David Barrow Trail that same month.^[21]