Meet Christopher Neill – Gardener, Grounds Department of Facility Services

Name: Chris Neill

Position: Gardener, Grounds Department of Facility Services

How long have you worked at McMaster? I have been in this position for two years. I have been at McMaster for 5 years total.

Tell us a little bit about yourself: McMaster University is my Alma Mater. I graduated from McMaster in 1998 with a Master’s Degree in Anthropology, specialization in archaeology. I have been a praticing archaeologist since my graduation (HBA) from the University of Toronto in 1985. I then went to Mexico on a Canada-Mexico exchange programme. I had the pleasure of living and working in the lovely city of Zacatecas, Mexico where, in 1996, I founded the Department of Archaeology for that University.

After a two year hiatus (to do my M.A. at McMaster), I returned to Zacatecas and served as the Director of the Department until 2004. I sat on the University Senate of the University of Zacatecas and served on the Academic Commission. In this position, I was able to work with marginal communities in the Strate of Zacatecas to build community museums and develop educational curricula in local archaeology. I received a National (Mexican) Science and Technology grant to conduct historical archaeology in conjunction with the municipalities of Guadalupe and Zactecas. I used this project to train Mexican students in the profession. The Department of Archeaology grew to over 100 students and 12 full time staff plus technical adjutants. The Department still functions to this day.

I enjoyed the culture and people of Mexico very much. My wife is Mexican and my three daughters have dual citizenship.  We returned to Canada at the end of 2004 just prior to the difficulties with drug cartels. I became a licensed archaeologist in the Province of Ontario in 2006 and served as project manager for a number of consulting firms in Ontario.

I decided to leave the profession for a quieter lifestyle in 2018 (ironically, one year before COVID). I returned to McMaster University as a humble employee, joining the part-time custodial staff of whom I remain very fond.

In 3 sentences or less, describe your job and the best part of your job? Groundskeeping involves keeping the exterior spaces of the university clean and aesthetically inviting. I like being outside (I was, after all, a field archeologist). I like to see the gardens and the grounds, even the gutters (excuse the alliteration), looking well ordered and pristine. I find there is an innate psychological sense of contentment associated with a place that is well maintained and with displays or beautiful arrangements.

What is your favourite quote and why? “The great Gaels of Ireland, are the men that God made mad. For all their wars are merry, and all their songs are sad.” (G. K. Chesterton).

Emotive and intuitive, as a brief, lilting ditty, Chesterton captures the essence, and folly, of war.

What is your favourite thing to do when you’re not at work? I write.

Chris is a recent recipient of a President’s Award for Outstanding Service! To read more about the awards, please visit hr.mcmaster.ca/employees/awards-recognition/presidents-awards/.