'A wonderful person': Friends, colleagues share memories of Peter Herrndorf

Peter Herrndorf: 1940-2023 Former NAC director Peter Herrndorf died on Saturday. CTV’s Shaun Vardon looks at the mark Herrndorf left on Ottawa and across Canada.

The Canadian arts community is in mourning after the loss of one of its greatest champions.

Peter Herrndorf, the former head of the National Arts Centre, left his mark on Ottawa and the country. He died Saturday at the age of 82.

Under his leadership, the NAC was transformed into an Ottawa landmark, a national beacon to the arts on Elgin Street.

"The glass was always half-full," said Jayne Watson. "He brought so much positivity to the NAC when he first arrived, at a time the NAC was really in a dark place."

Herrndorf was known as a leader who could bring his best. His legacy was not just glass and stone. He helped transform arts across the country, helping to found the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards in 1992.

After a career in media that included jobs at the CBC, Toronto Life magazine and TVO, Herrndorf became head of the NAC from 1999 to 2018.

"He stabilized the organization and allowed it to flourish," said former Ottawa mayor Jim Watson.

Under his guidance, art in capital flourished, with the creation of the National Arts Centre Foundation, NAC Indigenous Theatre and the National Creation Fund—all promoting Canadian arts and culture nationally and on the world stage.

But it wasn't his cultural impact that those who knew Herrndorf best remember him by, it was the small, human moments where he shone.

"He would call me and sing happy birthday and he would do that to hundreds of employees and patrons and supporters of the arts," said Jim Watson.

In 2018, he received the Key to the City of Ottawa, one of many honours—including the Order of Canada –that Herrndorf received over a lifetime of service.

"I think the humanity of Peter Herrndorf was what helped him build this incredible network of friends around this country, said former NAC communications director Rosemary Thompson. "I just want to thank him for what he did for this city and country. There is really no one like Peter Herrndorf."

Herrndorf was born in Amsterdam and was raised in Winnipeg. He earned a political science and English degree from the University of Manitoba in 1962. He later studied law at Dalhousie University and obtained a master's in administration from Harvard Business School.

"He was an immigrant to Canada, and he was a proud Canadian. He was a thoughtful leader and he was a mensch; a wonderful, wonderful person," said Jayne Watson.

The NAC, announcing the news Saturday, said its flags would be lowered to half-mast in his honour.

--With files from The Canadian Press.