Donnelley Drive in Wainuiomata is named after Leonard Sidney Donnelley, a civil engineer who served the Hutt County Council from 1946 to 1973. Born in Wellington in 1906, Len had a distinguished career in both civil engineering and military service. He worked in various engineering roles across New Zealand before joining the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) during World War II, where he rose to the rank of Squadron Leader. After the war, he returned to civil engineering, eventually becoming the Chief Engineer of the Hutt County Council i.
Donnelley’s early engineering career began in Westport, followed by positions in Manawatu, Taranaki, and Hokianga ii. He served in Fiji and the Pacific Islands during WWII, contributing to key military infrastructure projects iii. After the war, he continued to work with the RNZAF and the NZ Army, where he was awarded the Efficiency Decoration for his service. He retired in 1973 and passed away in 1987, with his ashes interred at Whenua Tapu Cemetery, Porirua iv.
The street was named in the 1960s to honor his significant contributions to local development v.