Although Dieter Gruenwoldt was born in Berlin, he spent much of his youth in Long Island, USA. His love for forests took him first to Ranger School in New York State, and then to the College of Forestry of Syracuse University (BLA, 1964).
In his student years, Gruis international work, he later said, would form the final years of his career in Canada, when he joined Indian and Northern Affairs. Gruenwoldt was an early advocate for environmental protection on First Nations’ lenwoldt worked with park planners with the U.S. Forest Service in Montana, and then served in Chile with the Peace Corps (1964-66), focusing on community development. The perspective shaped by thands, and developed close relationships with Indigenous groups. “He readily reached out to reserve members,” remembers his wife Pam. “He respected their culture and they respected him.”
Gruenwoldt particularly enjoyed working on Nunavut school projects, and consultative work to develop policy. In the early 1990s, he was presented with a Deputy Minister’s service award for his work on First Nations’ environmental protection proposals.
Gruenwoldt’s later successes capped a varied and creative career. In 1966, Gruenwoldt had moved to Canada to become a Chief Landscape Architect working with Don Graham & Associates in Ottawa. “This was a very exciting time to be involved in Landscape Architecture on an international platform,” he said, remembering the energy generated by Expo. Gruenwoldt did a variety of his later landscape work for research centres, housing developments, schools and residences.
In 1968, Gruenwoldt launched his own company with his dedicated partner, Jack Copeland (Fellow 1999). He simultaneously devoted considerable time to the newly formed Ontario Association of Landscape Architects, and in the early 70s, when the OALA opted to name two Vice Presidents to recognize the province’s major geographic areas of practice (Ottawa and Toronto), Gruenwoldt became Ottawa VP.
For seven years, Gruenwoldt, Copeland and Assoc. took on sweeping projects for Ottawa developers (Kanata Landscape Development, Campeau Corporation, Shenkman Properties, Teron Construction). In 1975, Gruenwoldt joined Parks Canada and was promptly sent to Quebec City, to learn French for a year. He stayed with Parks for several years, working on such interesting projects as the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Property (Baddeck, Nova Scotia) and Privateer’s Wharf (Halifax Harbour). Meanwhile, Gruenwoldt, Copeland and Assoc. continued to prosper until Copeland’s death (2013).
While Gruenwoldt continued his government career with Public Works Canada, he remained a staunch advocate for the profession. In 1984, he and then-CSLA President André Sauvé co-chaired the very successful CSLA Golden Jubilee. Upon his retirement in 2000, the CSLA awarded Dieter Gruenwoldt a Life Membership.
Sources
Portrait: Courtesy Pam Gruenwoldt
Dieter in his office, circa 1969
Privateer’s Wharf, Halifax Harbour: early planning for the historic warehouse district, August 1975
Landscape Architectural Review, 1984
50th Anniversary CSLA Jubilee
50 Years of Landscape Architecture in Canada, 1934-84, Cecelia Paine (Editor). Photo by Linda Fardine (Library # 712.0971 C212)
