Ron Barclay Drive

No one lives on Ron Barclay Drive, but it is a street many people regularly drive up and down, especially in the summer months.

The drive is located at the end of Beach Street in Fitzroy and leads down to the seaside park and surf club. This stretch of roadway was previously unnamed, but in 2004 at the suggestion of NPDC councillor, the late Mike Merrick, it was named after a prominent local identity.

Ronald Morrison Barclay (1914-2003) has the honour of having two New Plymouth streets named after him. Barclay Street in Ferndale featured in this series back in 2013 and the distinguished local politician is now celebrated again. This time it was more for his contribution to the Fitzroy community than his time as a Member of Parliament and city councillor.

Fittingly Ron Barclay lived in Beach Street, just a short distance from the roadway that now bears his name. He also operated a shoe shop in the Fitzroy Village, was a member of the Fitzroy Rotary Club, founded the Fitzroy Rugby Football Club and was an honorary life member of the Fitzroy Surf Club.  Somehow, Ron also found the time to serve on the boards of Plunket, the Cancer Society, Taranaki Hospital and the Crippled Children’s Society.

The decision to name the access way to the seaside park after this respected local came at an opportune time. The ceremony to unveil the new street sign for Ron Barclay Drive was combined with the official opening of the Fitzroy Beach Reserve after a $900,000 upgrade.

At the unveiling on 26 November 2004 Ron Barclay’s widow Joy expressed her pleasure at the decision, saying “I think it’s terrific, Ron would have been thrilled”. 

This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News.