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Overlynn Mansion
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark520
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Description
- Overlynn Mansion is a two and one-half storey British Arts and Crafts mansion, with an exterior composed of a massive native granite rubble-stone base surmounted by distinctive half-timbering, a hip hipped roof, a rare surviving intact interior, and elaborate landscape features including stone wall…
- Associated Dates
- 1909
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Other Names
- Charles J. Peter Mansion
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Other Names
- Charles J. Peter Mansion
- Geographic Access
- McGill Street
- Associated Dates
- 1909
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Enactment Type
- Bylaw No. 10211
- Enactment Date
- 18/09/1995
- Description
- Overlynn Mansion is a two and one-half storey British Arts and Crafts mansion, with an exterior composed of a massive native granite rubble-stone base surmounted by distinctive half-timbering, a hip hipped roof, a rare surviving intact interior, and elaborate landscape features including stone walls and planted terraces. It is situated in the residential neighbourhood of Vancouver Heights, on a high point of land overlooking Burrard Inlet to the west and the mouth of Lynn Creek to the east. This prominent residence is now part of a large senior citizens development known as Seton Villa.
- Heritage Value
- Overlynn Mansion is valued as a superb example of the work of the noted architectural firm of Maclure and Fox. The architecture of Samuel Maclure (1860-1929) was synonymous with high quality residential design for prominent citizens in both Vancouver and Victoria. Maclure was known for his British Arts and Crafts style with meticulous attention paid to functional and beautiful interiors that utilized native wood combined with luxurious imported fittings. He was a leading exponent of the Art and Crafts design movement in B.C., and established a sophisticated local variation of residential architecture. Maclure’s Vancouver office, in association with his partner Cecil Croker Fox (1879-1916), received some sixty residential commissions between 1909-1915 as a result of the booming local economy and subsequent development of new residential districts. Maclure’s practice in Victoria was equally prolific at the time. Overlynn Mansion is valued as one of Burnaby’s oldest upper-class estates and for its association with the development of Vancouver Heights. In 1909, C.J. Peter and his employer, G.F. and J. Galt Limited, pioneered the development of Vancouver Heights in North Burnaby, believing it to be one of the most picturesque districts in area and an alternative to the CPR’s prestigious Shaughnessy Heights development in Vancouver. Buyers were obligated to build houses worth $3,500 at a time when the average house price was $1,000. Overlynn Mansion, built in 1909 for $75,000, was one of the first houses constructed in Vancouver Heights and by far the most grandiose and impressive. Additionally, this landmark residence is significant and an intact and comprehensive representation of a grand Edwardian era estate home. The interior is notably intact, and retains many highly-refined original features, including substantive millwork of exotic woods, silver-plated and nickel-plated light fixtures, fine plasterwork, tiled fireplaces and exceptional hardware. Landscape features of Overlynn Mansion include the original layout for circulation paths, a porte-cochere, granite posts and stone walls, a sandstone and iron sundial, and mature trees and shrubbery. The house was designated by Burnaby Council in 1995 and was the first heritage building in B.C. to receive legal protection for its interior features.
- Defining Elements
- Key elements that define the heritage character of Overlynn Mansion include its: - prominent corner location on a steep sloping site in the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood - views to Burrard Inlet and the North Shore mountains - residential form, scale and massing as exemplified by its grand two-storey plus basement height and irregular plan - British Arts and Crafts elements such as the rubble-stone granite masonry on the ground floor and foundation level, and decorative half-timbering and rough-cast stucco on the upper storey - compound hipped bell-cast roof, clad with cedar shingles, with shed dormers at the rear - subtle battering of ground floor and foundation level stonework - porte-cochere with hipped roof and battered granite piers - wood-clad projecting bay extensions - irregular fenestration: double-hung 6-over-1 wooden-sash windows; multi-pane casement wooden windows with multi-pane transoms; diamond leaded casement windows; and banks of stained glass windows - five tall rubble-stone granite block stone chimneys - interior features such as the oak, cedar and Yaka (Australian mahogany) panelled walls, oak panelling and staircase walls inlaid with ebony, ivory and brass, stenciled canvas friezes, wooden dadoes and plaster walls, encaustic floor tiles, Australian gumwood floors, oak panelled doors with art glass, oak beamed ceiling with stucco panels, cast plaster vaulted hall and living room ceilings, sterling silver light fixtures including a chandelier and scones, nickel-plated newel light, brass Art Nouveau styled ceiling light, brass stair carpet poles and locks, built-in bookcases and buffet, fireplace with encaustic tiles and fire dogs, imported Medmenham fireplace tiles (the earliest known use outside of the United Kingdom), fireplace mantel with green tile and cast iron firebox, and inglenook fireplace with encaustic tiles and carved mantel and brass fireplace insert - landscape features such as the granite gate posts and iron entrance gate, granite posts and iron fence, granite garden wall, sandstone garden steps, sandstone and iron sundial, granite and concrete terraces adjacent to the house, configuration of pathways and sandstone steps including the front access road, mature deciduous and coniferous tree stock including a Monkey Puzzle Tree and pruned shrubbery throughout the site
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area
- Organization
- G.F. and J. Galt Limited
- Architect
- Samuel Maclure
- Cecil Croker Fox
- Function
- Primary Historic--Estate
- Primary Current--Multiple Dwelling
- Community
- Burnaby
- Cadastral Identifier
- 004-943-295
- Boundaries
- Overlynn Mansion is a part of a single institutional lot located at 3755 McGill Street, Burnaby.
- Area
- 7912.77
- Contributing Resource
- Building
- Ownership
- Private
- Street Address
- 3755 McGill Street
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
Images
Firefighters Harry Anderson, Leo Fraser, Fred Blake and Henry Chapman
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription2625
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1940
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 6 x 10.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Firefighters Harry Anderson, Leo Fraser, Fred Blake and Henry Chapman lying down on their beds in the dormitory at No. 1 Burnaby Fire Hall at Carleton Avenue and Eton Street. This photograph was taken by Fred Blake using a box camera with a five minute exposure (so that he was able to…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 6 x 10.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Firefighters Harry Anderson, Leo Fraser, Fred Blake and Henry Chapman lying down on their beds in the dormitory at No. 1 Burnaby Fire Hall at Carleton Avenue and Eton Street. This photograph was taken by Fred Blake using a box camera with a five minute exposure (so that he was able to run and put himself into the shot before the shutter closed).
- Geographic Access
- Carleton Avenue
- Eton Street
- Accession Code
- BV002.75.6
- Access Restriction
- Restricted access
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- 1940
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 1/12/2010
- Scale
- 100
- Photographer
- Blake, Frederick "Fred"
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Quote from letter of Aug. 15, 2002 from Fred Blake (letter in accession file): "With reference to the enclosed picture where I am stretched out on the bed. All my early pictures were taken with a box camera that I still have. With the slow film and poor room lighting I knew it would have to be a five minute time exposure. There was no automatic timer on the box camera. You had to press the shutter button to open the lens and again to close it. With this length of exposure I knew that if I moved quickly I could be in the picture. I had the others propped up and opened the lens and ran across and took my place on the bed. When I fell back I realized that I had forgotten a back rest for myself. I stayed that way for five minutes as I didn't want to take a chance of spoiling the picture. When the time was up I ran across the room and closed the lens. I was pleased that the picture tuned out alright, but a little disappointed about me."
- Handwritten note on verso of photograph reads: "I had to hang on to FRASER so that I wouldn't fall off the bed. / 658X / 1940 No.1 HALL 290 N. CARLETON / HARRY ANDERSON LEO FRASER FRED BLAKE HENRY CHAPMAN / L TO R"
Images
![Fire hall no. 1, [1925] (date of original) thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1990/199800310005.jpg?width=280)
Fire hall no. 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1296
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1925] (date of original)
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of North Burnaby's first fire hall (the building was originally used as a pump house before it was converted).
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of North Burnaby's first fire hall (the building was originally used as a pump house before it was converted).
- Subjects
- Buildings - Civic - Fire Halls
- Names
- Burnaby Fire Department
- Geographic Access
- Carleton Avenue
- Eton Street
- Accession Code
- BV998.31.5
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1925] (date of original)
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 01-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Photographer
- Blake, Frederick "Fred"
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Typed sticker on verso of photograph reads: "Burnaby's first fire hall Carleton Ave. and Eton St. 290 N (1925)"
- Address sticker on verso of photograph reads: "MR & MRS F BLAKE 4165 PANDORA ST BURNABY BC V5C 2B2"
Images
![Fire hall no. 1, [1925] (date of original) thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1990/199800310005.jpg)
Interview with Jenny Siormanolakis
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19635
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1960-2023] (interview content), interviewed 26 Jul. 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (87 min.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (86 min., 51 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Jenny (Eugenia) Siormanolakis conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks on July 26 2023. 00:00-12:02 Interview opens with introductions. Jenny Siormanolakis shares details about her parents Eugene and Europe Siormanola…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Subseries
- Many Voices Project Interviews subseries
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (87 min.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (86 min., 51 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: James Binks Interviewee: Jenny (Eugenia) Siormanolakis Location of Interview: Prado Cafe, 4321 Still Creek Dr., Burnaby Interview Date: July 26, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:26:60 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby Ambient sound from cafe in background of interview
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Jenny (Eugenia) Siormanolakis conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks on July 26 2023. 00:00-12:02 Interview opens with introductions. Jenny Siormanolakis shares details about her parents Eugene and Europe Siormanolakis who were both born in Greece and immigrated to Vancouver. Jenny provides details about the history of Romana Pizza restaurant including; the restaurant partners, the various locations, her father’s work ethics of running the restaurant and the staff who worked there. Jenny provides details about her father's life, his ancestral background and family relations which lead him to immigrate to Vancouver. Jenny shares childhood memories of helping out in her parents’ restaurant and later working there. 12:03 – 26:41 Jenny describes various food dishes that have been on the menu of Romana Pizza and Steak House and Romana Pizza, how they've evolved over time, how her father learned to cook traditional Greek food and develop his own recipes and where he sourced his restaurant food supplies. Jenny conveys how they used social media to advertise the restaurant, describes the election pizza poll that Romana Pizza held during the federal and provincial elections and a baby poll that was held at the restaurant to guess the weight of her and her sister’s babies. 26:42 – 31:47 Jenny talks about her marriage and recollects how she got married in a civil ceremony at Romana Pizza. Jenny talks about her family life while her family was running the restaurant, their decision to sell the restaurant and describes the last days of running the restaurant. 31:48 – 46:33 Jenny conveys the background story of her business “Granpa J’s”. Jenny describes how her uncle Jimmy Voulides, created his own seasoning salt product and after he died in 2003, Jenny and her sister Nora purchased the business. Jenny describes how they developed their business, created new products, their struggles and how they became successful. Jenny describes how their products have been developed from family recipes and recalls how the actor Ryan Reynold’s helped their products become even more successful overnight. 46:34 – 55:38 Jenny talks about different community festivals and events that she’s been involved with including; Greek Day on Broadway (Vancouver) and the Hats Off Day event in North Burnaby. Jenny shares the background history of Greek Day in Vancouver and information about other Greek community events. Jenny talks about the importance of bringing the community together and the importance of knowing the history of your ancestors and where they came from. 55:39 - 1:04:35 Jenny talks about her involvement with the Greek community newspaper “Gnome” and provides details about; the former creator and editor Kostas Karatsikis, the newspaper's content, it's importance in the Greek community and the distribution. Jenny describes some of the articles that she’s written for the Gnome newspaper. 1:04:36 - 1:14:12 Jenny describes some pivotal moments that occurred over the years at Romana Pizza including; placing second in the Vancouver Sun newspaper contest for Best Pizza (1986) and having members of the Vancouver Canucks hockey team frequent their restaurant. Jenny conveys how the restaurant benefited from having a website and using social media as a marketing tools. 1:14:13 - 1:22:42 Jenny talks about her involvement with Kolanki Group West, Euro Find foods and her passion for Greek food and other European foods. Jenny describes some traditional Greek recipes, family recipes, talks about marketing Grandpa J's products and reflects on the menu of Romana Pizza. 1:22:43 - 1:26:51 Jenny reflects on the role of the Greek community, how food plays a roll, the future of the Greek community in Vancouver and Burnaby and the importance of engaging the younger generation. In closing Jenny provides a quote from an article that she wrote “Forgive the mistakes of the past, let it go and realize that we are all equals...”.
- History
- Interviewee biography: Eugenia "Jenny" Siormanolakis is the daughter of Eugene and Europe Siormanolakis. Jenny’s father, Eugene Siormanolakis immigrated to Canada from Greece in the late 1960’s and her mother Europe Siormanolakis immigrated in 1973. In April 1973, her father and five partners opened the restaurant “Romana Pizza and Steak House” (later renamed "Romana Pizza") located at 4660 Hastings Street in the Burnaby Heights neighbourhood. Jenny and her sister Eleanora Iliakis spent much of their childhood in the family owned restaurant and also worked at the restaurant as they become older. Jenny’s parents continued to own and operate the restaurant until 2014 when they decided to retire from the business. In 2004, an opportunity arose for Jenny and her sister Eleanora to buy their recently deceased uncle’s business Grandpa J’s Seasoning Inc. They launched their business of “Grandpa J’s” seasoning first selling to local restaurants and eventually adapted their product line to include other Greek seasoning products which they developed from their own recipes. They expanded their clientele to include retail outlets and in 2020, they got a boost to their sales when actor Ryan Reynolds promoted their seasoing product "Vancity Grind" on Instagram. Since launching their business they have been featured in many culinary and business publications and were nominated in 2022 as finalists for Product of the Year by BC Food and Beverage. Jenny is extremely passionate about food, her Greek heritage and is an advocate for food security for children and seniors and mental health. Interviewer biography: James Binks has lived in the Lower Mainland since 2009 after relocating from Ontario. James holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia, where he conducted researched on heritage, environment, and globalization in India, Nepal, and Italy. At Burnaby Village Museum, James contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants
- Businesses
- Elections
- Foods
- Migration
- Occupations - Entrepreneurs
- Persons - Greek Canadians
- Names
- Gnome Publications
- Iliakis, Eleonara Siormanolakis
- Karatsikis, Kostas "George"
- Siormanolakis, Eugenia "Jenny"
- Nikolaidis, "Eleni"
- Nikolaidis, Stelios
- Romana Pizza
- Siormanolakis, Eugene
- Siormanolakis, Europe
- Voulides, Demetrios "Jimmy"
- Responsibility
- Binks, James
- Geographic Access
- Hastings Street
- Street Address
- 4660 Hastings Street
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.13
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1960-2023] (interview content), interviewed 26 Jul. 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Jenny Siormanolakis, [1960-2023] (interview content), interviewed 26 Jul. 2023
Interview with Jenny Siormanolakis, [1960-2023] (interview content), interviewed 26 Jul. 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0013_003.mp3
Standard Oil Company
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34568
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1958
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 27.8 x 35.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Aerial photograph of the Standard Oil Company Stanovan Refinery, Burrard Inlet.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1958
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 27.8 x 35.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 052-004
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Aerial photograph of the Standard Oil Company Stanovan Refinery, Burrard Inlet.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Aero Surveys Limited
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Back of photo stamped: "Photo by Aero Surveys Limited, Vancouver, BC, Canada / Identification No.: BO-58-444"
- Geographic Access
- Eton Street
- Street Address
- 4403 Eton Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area
Images
