Reynolds Bach Drive is named after Hubert Reynolds “Reyn” Bachi, a distinguished civil engineer who served as City Engineer for Lower Hutt from the 1940s into the 1960s. ii He was born in New Zealand on 6 July 1904 and passed away in Auckland on 19 March 1995, aged 90.iii Bach made substantial contributions to the infrastructure and development of the Hutt Valley, particularly in Lower Hutt where he led numerous civic projects and engineering initiatives.
He held the title DSC (Distinguished Service Cross) and was a Fellow of several professional bodies, including the Institution of Civil Engineers (FICE), the New Zealand Institution of Engineers (FNZIE), and the Royal Sanitary Institute (FRSH). He was elected President of the New Zealand Institution of Engineers for 1961–1962 iv and also served as President of the Royal Sanitary Institute’s NZ branch in 1949 v.
Bach began his engineering career after earning a B.Sc. in mathematics from New Zealand University in 1928 vi. He worked as Borough Engineer in Thames and Onehunga before moving to Lower Hutt, where he became a key figure in post-war urban planning, bridge upgrades, sewage treatment design, and traffic infrastructure vii.
His long service and leadership in public works left a lasting mark on the region, and Reynolds Bach Drive honours his professional legacy in the Hutt Valley.
- The Hutt News, Tuesday, 03 August 2010, p. 44[↩]
- Hutt News, 7 Sep 1938; 25 Feb 1942; 16 June 1948[↩]
- FindAGrave[↩]
- Press, 6 Jan 1962; 16 Feb 1962[↩]
- Hutt News, 17 March 1949[↩]
- NZ Herald, 18 Feb 1928[↩]
- Thames Star, 15 May 1936; Hutt News, 16 June 1948; Press, 24 Oct 1956[↩]