Drive pioneer gave so much
Matamata Centennial Drive Development Society committee paid tribute to their late patron and long- serving member David McNeil at a recent meeting.
Appreciation was expressed for his invaluable service to the society and for all his work in the Matamata Centennial Drive.
David was a member of the committee of the society for 53 years and was the last link with the founding committee which was formed to develop an overgrown reserve into what the Centennial Drive has become today.
As well as being an active committee member, he was vice-president for a number of years, was awarded Life Membership of the society in 2001 and appointed patron of the society.
Tribute was paid to his extensive knowledge of trees and shrubs which he was always willing to share with the society members.
It is partly due to him that there is such a wide range of rare and unusual plants in the drive.
David and his friend Arnold Phillips spent many hours together discussing future plans for the drive and looking for unusual plants to add to its collection.
While at school David showed a great interest in botany and in plants of all kinds.
He continued this interest throughout his life and belonged to and contributed to many societies such as the International Dendrology Society, the McLaren Falls Park in the Kaimai Range and the Camellia Society, as well as the Matamata Centennial Drive.
He received many awards, including the North Island Forester of the Year in 1984, and the Environmental Ballance Award for an exceptionally well-managed and planted farm in 1996.
In 2008 he was awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for services to the environment.
David’s enthusiasm for the Matamata Centennial Drive has been a major factor in its development into a botanical park which is such a wonderful asset for the Matamata district.