Mayor of Campbelltown Paul Lake said that the late Ron Moore believed in giving back to the community and supported numerous schools, sporting teams and local groups.
Councillor Lake was speaking at the official renaming of One Minto Community Centre to the Ron Moore Community Centre on Wednesday night.
“Together with his wife Joy, Ron donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Campbelltown community,’’ Cr Lake said.
“They were known for their generosity, compassion and community spirit. It’s a wonderful legacy that the Moore family still continue to this day.
“Ron was active on numerous committees and was involved in a variety of community projects, including documenting our local history as a member of the Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society,” Cr Lake said.
The renaming ceremony was attended by members of the Moore family, past colleagues, friends and local dignitaries.
The legacy of Ron and his family business, Minto Hardware, is now memorialised in the centre’s new signage, which is inspired by the old hardware store.
A bronze plaque in the centre’s foyer provides visitors with an insight into Ron’s legacy, and is complemented by a series of images.
The plaque displayed in the centre’s foyer reads:
This plaque is to commemorate the renaming of the Minto Community Centre to the Ron Moore Community Centre, in honour of long standing Campbelltown citizen, Ron Moore OAM.
Ron was Campbelltown Citizen of the Year in 1993 and was known for his generous support of many local causes. Ron revitalised the Dumaresq Street Cinema and was a well-known personality at his store, Minto Hardware. His contribution to Campbelltown was significant and represented a lifetime of commitment to his city.
Ron Moore received the Medal of the Order of Australia in 1994 for his community work. He was awarded the Campbelltown City Citizen of the Year in 1993 and in the same year, was given honorary Life Membership of Campbelltown and Camden District Band.
He received Rotary’s highest accolade, the Paul Harris Fellowship, from Campbelltown Rotary and was President of the Australia Day Committee from 1997 to 2004. He was Patron of Minto Girl Guides, Red Cross and Campbelltown Theatre Group.
His store, Minto Hardware, was a major sponsor of the Festival of Fisher’s Ghost Street Parade for many years, as well as numerous other community events.
Ron Moore managed two successful businesses and was passionate about both. He acquired the Dumaresq Street Cinemas in 1992, because he loved the movies and the movie business.
It was Ron’s belief in independent cinema, and his hard work, that ensured the success of the Dumaresq Street Cinemas, which his family still operate today.
The other constant in Ron’s life was his hardware business. Together with wife Joy, Ron Moore opened Campbelltown Paint and Hardware on Queen Street in Campbelltown in 1956. Business flourished, and Ron and Joy moved to larger premises – first to Ingleburn in 1960 and then to Minto in 1977, where the well known Minto Hardware was established, on Minto Road, opposite the station.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]”Many Campbelltown residents were saddened when Minto Hardware closed its doors in 2006,” said Mayor Lake. “Through the store, Ron and his family made a significant contribution to Campbelltown, not only in terms of charitable donations, but by promoting a sense of community.”[/social_quote]
