Reay Gardens and Petrie Park – in the housing development currently under construction by Dunbritton Housing Association – have been named after former Provost Billy Petrie OBE, and the late Cllr Al Reay, who died in 2012. At the Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee meeting on Tuesday, April 8, councillors agreed the names of eight of the streets at the former Hermitage Academy site.

Reay Gardens was requested by Helensburgh Community Council to commemorate the late councillor Al Reay — who died suddenly in February 2012.

Cllr Reay became a Helensburgh councillor in 2003, and was known for a passion for the outdoors and gardening, prompting Dunbritton Housing Association to endorse the request.

Reay Gardens will be street seven in the development, which is a link road from street one to street two, and overlooks the play park and open space, – in ‘keeping with the former councillors love of the outdoors’.

Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Ellen Morton said: “I am delighted to see Al Reay mentioned here as, you all know he was a good friend of mine. It is a fitting name.” Petrie Park, was chosen to honour the long service of Billy Petrie to the Helensburgh community by Helensburgh Heritage Trust, and links the street north of the play park and open space to the flatted development.

Mr Petrie is not the first person to be honoured with a Helensburgh street name during his lifetime, with Glen Drive named after another former provost, Norman Glen, whilst he was alive.

Mr Petrie told the Advertiser he was honoured and grateful to the people of Helensburgh.

He added: “I am very surprised, it is very nice indeed. The people of Helensburgh have been very good to myself and my family over the years.

“I am sure my family will be both pleased and very proud of this honour, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who nominated me and made the final decision on Petrie Park.” Hermitage Avenue, named after the school which sat on the site, will now be the name of the main entrance to the development.

Mackintosh Court will be street six, and has been selected because the flats currently being built have details which mirror the Hill House design by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

At the meeting, it was also recommended that two other names are approved in the event that extra streets are developed as a result of future planning applications.

Templeton and Cramb were suggested and endorsed by the area committee.

Street 1 - Hermitage Avenue Street 2 - Campbell Drive (continuation of existing street) Street 3 - Anderson Avenue Street 4 - Talisman Crescent (continuation of existing street) Street 5 - Guy Mannering Road (continuation of existing street) Street 6 - Mackintosh Court Street 7 - Reay Gardens Street 8 - Petrie Park