"Officials" found 2 records | Heritage Burnaby

History: The City of Burnaby covers an area of approximately 98 square kilometers between the cities of Vancouver to the west, and Coquitlam and New Westminster to the east, Burrard Inlet to the north, and the Fraser River to the south. The municipality derived its name from Robert Burnaby, a prominent businessman and advisor to Sir James Douglas, the first Governor of the Crown Colony of British Columbia. Burnaby’s early development was closely tied to the development of the City of New Westminster. New Westminster became British Columbia’s capital in 1859, the year after the British Government proclaimed the establishment of British Columbia. Shortly thereafter, the Royal Engineers began exploring Burnaby to establish military defenses and secure natural resources. This involved the construction of a road linking New Westminster to Burrard Inlet for military purposes, which is present-day North Road. At this time, individuals and families began settling in Burnaby and were largely involved in agricultural and logging activities. Burnaby developed slowly until 1887, when the Canadian Pacific Railway was extended into Vancouver from the Port Moody terminal, causing a dramatic increase in traffic between New Westminster and Vancouver. To meet the new transportation demands, a tramline was built in 1891 connecting the two urban centers along what is now Kingsway. The creation and location of the tramline induced property owners to begin subdividing and selling their lands as early as October 1891. The property taxes the roughly 200 residents paid at this time went directly to the provincial government in Victoria. No local services were provided in turn, which prompted the formation of a committee to petition the provincial government for a municipal charter. As a result, the Corporation of the District of Burnaby was incorporated by letters patent on September 22, 1892. Burnaby’s first Council was elected by acclamation on October 15, 1892 and consisted of Reeve Charles R. Shaw and councillors William Brenchley, Arthur De Windt Hazard, L. Claude Hill, William McDermott, and John Woolard.* The first formal Council election was conducted three months later. Nicolai Shou became the first elected reeve of Burnaby by ballot. Council met at various locations, including the tramline’s power house, private homes, and offices until the first municipal hall was built at Kingsway and Edmonds in 1899. Council is ultimately responsible for the government of the City of Burnaby. The Mayor (formally called “Reeve” prior to 1968) and Council are elected by the residents of Burnaby to represent them in decisions with respect to the provision of public services and facilities. Additionally, the Mayor represents the citizens of Burnaby at various public functions and events. Burnaby was without Council representation during most of the Great Depression and part of the Second World War. Council was disbanded on December 31, 1932 as a result of financial difficulties. The Provincial Government appointed a Commissioner to take over the duties of Reeve and Council beginning in 1933. This system of government was retained until January 1943, when Burnaby residents could once again elect their local government officials. The following individuals have served as Mayor (or Reeve) of Burnaby: Charles R. Shaw 1892 Nicolai C. Schou 1893-1903 Charles F. Sprott 1904-1905 Peter Byrne 1906-1910 John W. Weart 1911-1912 Duncan C. McGregor 1913 Hugh M. Fraser 1914-1918 Thomas Sanderson 1919-1920 Alexander K. McLean 1921-1926; 1928-1929 Charles C. Bell 1927 William L. Burdick 1929 William A. Pritchard 1930-1932 William Tate Wilson 1943-1944 George A. Morrison 1945-1949 William R. Beamish 1950-1953 Charles W. MacSorley 1954-1957 Alan H. Emmott 1958-1968 Robert W. Prittie 1969-1973 Thomas W. Constable 1973-1979 David M. Mercier 1979-1981 William A. Lewarne 1981-1987 William J. Copeland 1987-1996 Douglas P. Drummond 1996-2002 Derek R. Corrigan 2002-2018 Mike Hurley 2018-present The following individuals have served as provincially appointed Commissioners for the Corporation of the District of Burnaby: John Bennett 1933 John Mahony 1933-1934 Hugh M. Fraser 1934-1940* R.S. Gilchrist 1941-1942* B.C. Bracewell 1942* *Richard Bolton was Acting Commissioner for most of 1940-1942. He refused to be a full-fledged Commissioner. Closely associated with the functions of Council is the City Clerk. The Office of the City Clerk is responsible for the statutory duties of the municipal clerk including the preparation and preservation of all minutes books and records of Council business, custody of City bylaws, administrative support to Council and its Committees, preparation of Council and Committee agendas and the conduct of local government elections. The Clerk’s Office is the communications link between Council and other City Departments and the general public, and provides assistance and advice to citizens with respect to Council and Council Committee processes, reporting procedures and decisions. At the time of Burnaby’s incorporation in 1892, the municipal Clerk had the responsibility to attend all meetings of Council, keep all records of Council, prepare and alter voters’ lists, conduct Council elections, collect revenue, as well as having the responsibility to prepare balance sheets and audits. An advertisement in a local newspaper for the appointment of the Clerk dated February 1, 1905 states the “united offices of clerk, collector and assessor” receive a salary of $65.00 per month. Originally the treasurer, assessor and records manager for the corporation, the Clerk eventually became the municipal Council liaison. The primary functions of the City Clerk over time have been the keeping of minutes for the meetings of City Council and related bodies; keeping the records of the City of Burnaby as required by the Local Government Act (formally Municipal Act); keeping all records related to City Council decision making; carrying out correspondence on behalf of Council; assembling voters’ lists and carrying out elections; providing communication, information, and public relations services, including responsibility for civic ceremonies/events, and the municipal archives. The following individuals have served as City Clerk: Alexander Philip 1892–1894 Alfred Smither 1894–1899 F.J.H. Shirley 1899–1901 Arthur De Windt Haszard 1901–1902 Walter J. Walker 1902–1905 Benjamin George Walker 1905–1908 Charles Thomas Saunders 1908–1911 W.M. Griffiths 1911–1912 Arthur G. Moore 1912–1933 Charles Boyer Brown 1933–1959 John H. Shaw 1959–1973* James Hudson 1974–1984 Charles A. Turpin 1984–1995 Debbie R. Comis 1995–2011 Anne Skipsey (Acting) 2011-2012 Maryann Manuel (Acting) 2012-2014 Dennis Back 2014-2018 Kate O'Connell 2018-2020 Blanka Zeinabova 2020-2022 *Deputy City Clerk T. Ward took over many of the Clerk’s duties from 1972 to 1973 due to Shaw’s ill health during these years.

Formats: Microforms exist for some records. See series descriptions.

Media Type: Textual Record

Creator: City of Burnaby

Notes: Title based on creators of fonds

Century Park Museum Association fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription3781

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 1971-1989

Collection/Fonds: Century Park Museum Association fonds

Description Level: Fonds

Physical Description: 1814 photographs + 219 architectural drawings + 17 technical drawings + 4 videocassettes + 3 audio reels + 17 audio cassettes + 1.6 m of textual records + 2 maps

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of records created and collected by the Century Park Museum Association (renamed Burnaby Village Museum Association after 1984), which managed Heritage Village (later named Burnaby Village Museum) from its opening in 1971 until it's dissolution in December 1989. Records include archi…

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Century Park Museum Association fonds

Description Level: Fonds

Physical Description: 1814 photographs + 219 architectural drawings + 17 technical drawings + 4 videocassettes + 3 audio reels + 17 audio cassettes + 1.6 m of textual records + 2 maps

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of records created and collected by the Century Park Museum Association (renamed Burnaby Village Museum Association after 1984), which managed Heritage Village (later named Burnaby Village Museum) from its opening in 1971 until it's dissolution in December 1989. Records include architectural drawings and proposals; photographs and films of the site; documentation of exhibits and artifacts, special events and programs; oral history interviews and other sound recordings; association meeting minutes; constitutions and bylaws; financial records; reports; correspondence; publications and research materials. Fonds has been arranged into the following series: 1) Century Park Museum Association photograph collection series 2) Century Park Museum Association film collection series 3) Century Park Museum Association architectural records and reports series 4) Heritage Village Museum oral history Interviews series 5) Heritage Village Museum presentations and Programming series 6) Century Park Museum Association reports series 7) Century Park Museum Association constitution, bylaws and agreements series 8) Century Park Museum Association minutes of meetings series 9) Century Park Museum association Board of Directors' administrative files series 10) Century Park Museum membership series 11) Heritage Village Museum exhibits and artifacts series 12) Century Park Museum Association committees' minutes and reports series 13) Museum staff adminstrative files series 14) Century Park Museum Association financial records series

History: The Heritage Village Museum was originally created as a British Columbia Centennial Project in 1971 through funding from the Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments. A sub-committee of the Burnaby Centennial '71 Committee was responsible for the creation of a permanent commemorative project. The concept for an open-air museum was developed with the location to be in Burnaby on lots 8,9, 10 and 11 of District Lot 79 and Lots 2 and 5, Block "R" of Districts Lots 79 and 85. The official sod turning for Heritage Village took place on April 11, 1971. In the spring of 1971, a museum director and curator were hired to oversee the development of the project and the acquisition of artifacts with funding from the Parks and Recreation Commission. The Century Park Museum Association (CPMA) was founded under the auspices of the Burnaby Centennial '71 Committee to govern Burnaby's Centennial '71 Commemorative Project, Heritage Village. The CPMA Board of directors were elected on October 26, 1971 with Donald (Don) Copan as the founding president (Don continued to serve on the Board until 1989). The Board of Directors reported directly to the Municipal Council. The association had an overall objective of providing a museum that was a historical resource for Burnaby and the region. The museum mandate was to collect, preserve, research, document and interpret artifacts and historical buildings that illustrated the history and lifestyle of the Lower Mainland in B.C. and Burnaby. The Museum focused on the period between 1890 and 1925 depicting a village lifestyle of a small community. This was achieved through the use of exhibits and displays within historic buildings and built reconstructions along with costumed museum interpreters. Many people contributed to the construction and design of the village. Architect, Rudy Kovach created the initial concept drawings and architecture designs were created by architectural design consultants Hopping, Kovach and Grinnell. Many carpenters and tradespeople worked on the construction of the buildings including Mr. Angelo Giacometti who was respsonible for much of the final decorative elements. The official opening of Heritage Village took place on November 19, 1971 with Burnaby Mayor Bob Prittie and Canada’s Governor General Roland Michener. Heritage Village was opened up to the public for a few days between November 19 and 21 with approximately 15,000 visitors. On July 1st, 1972 Heritage Village re-opened for the summer season with CPMA president, Don Copan and Mayor Bob Prittie officiating. This opening showcased further development of the site with more buildings and exhibits added. In 1984, Heritage Village Museum changed its name to “Burnaby Village Museum” and in turn, the Century Park Museum Association changed its name to the “Burnaby Village Museum Association”. Burnaby Village Museum continued to be governed by the Burnaby Village Museum Association until the end of 1989. In 1990, the Corporation of the District of Burnaby assumed the operation and management of Burnaby Village Museum under the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department and the Burnaby Village Museum Association was dissolved.

Responsibility: Century Park Museum Association

Accession Code: BV985.6028; BV005.14; BV000.18; BV011.44; BV011.50; BV014.30; BV016.56; BV017.46; BV018.21; BV019.52; BV020.4; BV020.5; BV021.5; BV022.9

Date: 1971-1989

Media Type: Photograph; Sound Recording; Textual Record; Architectural Drawing; Moving Images; Cartographic Material; Technical Drawing

Related Material: Donald Copan fonds; Burnaby Centennial '71 Committee collection; Royal Bank exhibit collection; Bell's Dry Goods exhibit collection; Jesse Love farmhouse fonds; Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Arrangement: Records are arranged by types and functions of the Century Park Museum Association. The series reflects how they were maintained by the associaton, it's members and staff of Heritage Village (Burnaby Village Museum) while under the governance of the association.

Notes: Title based on contents of fonds; Further accruals are expected; Some records within this fonds are Closed - contact Burnaby Village Museum for access

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City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription29

Century Park Museum Association fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription3781