Walter Gordon Hardwick was born in 1932, and beginning in 1950 attended UBC, the University of Wisconsin, and the University of Minnesota. He first joined UBC's Department of Geography in 1960, and until his retirement in 1997 taught courses in urban studies, urban geography, and political geography. He also headed the "Vancouver Urban Futures" survey project from 1971 to 1974, and a second related project called "Choosing Our Future" in the late 1980's - these projects served as a basis for urban planning in the Greater Vancouver Regional District and inspired the district's "Livable Region" strategy. Hardwick also has had an acute interest in political processes, focussing on urban and regional planning and on education. He was instrumental in writing the 1963 "MacDonald Report", UBC President John B. MacDonald's report on post-secondary education which laid the groundwork for Simon Fraser University and the province's network of community colleges. He was also a key figure in the grassroots movement to prevent the construction of a freeway system through Vancouver which would have destroyed the historic areas of Gastown and Chinatown. He was a co-founder of TEAM (The Electors' Action Movement), and served on city council from 1969 to 1974. During his time on council Hardwick initiated the transformation of the south shore of False Creek from industrial use to housing, which he had advocated as early as 1962. He later served as B.C.'s deputy minister for education, science and technology from 1976 to 1980, and was responsible for establishing the Open Learning Institute and the Knowledge Network, serving as chair of the latter from 1980 to 1988 - in these positions he was instrumental in establishing the province's distance education system. He also headed an environmental inquiry into a waste processing plant proposed for Sumas in 1992. Hardwick has been honoured several times for his work, most notably with the Order of British Columbia in 1997, and with an honorary degree from UBC in 2000.
From the description of Walter Hardwick fonds. 1946-1998. (University of British Columbia Library). WorldCat record id: 606456911
