Former Vancouver Writers Fest head Hal Wake was ‘a crucial figure in Canadian books’

With his shock of white hair and Santa Claus beard wafting in the Vancouver wind, Hal Wake cut a venerable figure every October, his 6-foot-2 frame gliding through the streets of Granville Island on an electric scooter, long before the mode of transportation became ubiquitous. For him, the wheels were a solution. As artistic director of the Vancouver Writers Fest, Mr. Wake wanted to check on the many events he had meticulously curated, even with multiple sessions happening simultaneously. It wasn’t just his job, but his joy.

“There’s no way to describe the profound emotions and pleasure that can come from a well-crafted event with extraordinary writers at its heart,” Mr. Wake told The Globe and Mail in 2016.