Walter Hardwick

Who was Walter Hardwick?

Walter Hardwick, 1997 Order of British Columbia recipient, was a distinguished community leader for many decades.

Professor Emeritus Hardwick expressed in many ways his service for the people of British Columbia through his involvement in public life at the civic, regional, provincial, national and international levels. His longest service to the Province had been through his teaching and scholarship. As an inspiring teacher, he was based in the Department of Geography at UBC for over 30 years. In 1975, Dr Hardwick was appointed Director of Continuing Education at UBC, a post he relinquished in 1976 to serve as Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Technology in the Social Credit government of Bill Bennett, and was instrumental in establishing both the Open Learning Institute and the Knowledge Network.

During his long and varied career, he significantly shaped the city and metropolitan region of Vancouver, and helped found the centralist civic party, TEAM. He served on Council from 1969 to 1974, and played a pivotal advisory role in the city's redevelopment of the False Creek area. Later in his career, he was invited to serve on, and chair, the National Capital Commission, with a mandate related to the planning of Ottawa.