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Interview with Sev Morin by Rod Fowler April 4, 1990 - Track 2
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory538
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1950-1990
- Length
- 00:06:16
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Sev Morin’s description of Burnaby’s growth and business development along Kingsway and Hastings, the Lake City Industrial Park, and the purchase of property in 1958 for the Heritage Park and Art Gallery.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Sev Morin’s description of Burnaby’s growth and business development along Kingsway and Hastings, the Lake City Industrial Park, and the purchase of property in 1958 for the Heritage Park and Art Gallery.
- Date Range
- 1950-1990
- Photo Info
- Sev Morin (left) of Severin's in Burnaby (formerly the Gai Paree) hosting a gala New Year's celebration, 1979. Item no. 480-712
- Length
- 00:06:16
- Subjects
- Buildings - Commercial
- Buildings - Civic
- Buildings - Industrial
- Buildings - Schools - Universities and Colleges
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area
- Lake City Area
- Burnaby Mountain Area
- Kingsway-Beresford Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- April 4, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Severin "Sev" Morin, conducted by Rod Fowler. Sev Morin was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is mainly about Sev Morin’s banquet hall, restaurant and night club business on Kingsway, originally named the “Gai Paree Supper Club” (1947-1976) and later “Severin’s” (1976-1985) and “Diego’s” (1985-1994), its function as a Burnaby landmark, and the entertainment and political people he met through his business. He also describes his many volunteer activities in Burnaby, including member of the SFU Senate, Rotary Club, Variety Club and Telethon, fund raising for Burnaby Hospital, and tourism related groups, and his political work for the federal Liberal party. He talks about his parents’ origins, the lives of his brothers Rudy and Rene, and the family’s involvement in establishing the “Gai Paree”. He also shares his views about the business and cultural development of Burnaby. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Severin “Sev” Rene Morin was born September 21, 1927, in Bonneville, Alberta, to Rene Pierre Morin (1878-1963) and Anne Marie (nee Lachiver) Morin (1886-1956). Mr. and Mrs. R. P. Morin and their son Rene Francois (1905-1954) immigrated to Edmonton, Alberta, from France in 1913, where Rene Pierre Morin worked for the C.N.R. and a second son Adolphe “Rudy” Ferdinand (1922-1969) was born, followed by their third son Severin. In 1943, after R.P. Morin retired, the family moved to Burnaby to a house on Sperling Avenue. Sometime earlier the two older Morin brothers found work in Trail at the smelter and developed musical careers. In 1946/47 the Morin family purchased property on Kingsway and built a banquet hall, the “Gai Paree Supper Club”. Sev and Rudy Morin managed the club and Rene F. Morin moved to Burnaby to join them with his band. The supper club, with its live music and dance floor, became a popular meeting place and wedding venue, eventually expanding into a restaurant and nightclub in the 1970s. The “Gai Paree” was renamed “Severin’s” in 1976 and “Diego’s” in 1985, closing finally in 1994. Sev Morin’s business life included three record stores which he owned with his friend Jack Cullen. Through these businesses Sev Morin was well known in the entertainment and hospitality industry. He and his restaurant also hosted political and social events that made the restaurant a community landmark. Sev Morin contributed many volunteer hours to community and charitable organizations, including an appointment to the SFU Senate, fundraising for the Burnaby Hospital, Director of the Variety Club and Rotary Club, and consultant for a variety of tourism related ventures. He also was active in the federal Liberal Party. Sev Morin and his wife Pauline married in 1950 and had three children. Sev Morin died at age 86 on March 28, 2014.
- Total Tracks
- 10
- Total Length
- 00:56:44
- Interviewee Name
- Morin, Severin "Sev"
- Interviewer Bio
- Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.
- Collection/Fonds
- SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds
- Transcript Available
- Transcript available
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track two of interview with Sev Morin
Track two of interview with Sev Morin
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-021/MSS187-021_Track%202.mp3Oral history interview with Esther Stanley May 5, 1988 - Track 3
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription10401
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1925 (interview content), interviewed May 5, 1988
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 audio cassette (0:06:20 min) + 4 p. of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Track 3: Esther recalls learning to drive, and Jim asks about her father’s pipe collection and the heating arrangements of the house. They discuss the family’s music and entertainments, and the furnishings and decoration of ground floor rooms. Esther mentions her job picking fruit. Jim shows the wo…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Jesse Love farmhouse series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 audio cassette (0:06:20 min) + 4 p. of textual records
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Jim Wolf Interviewee: Esther Stanley Location of Interview: not known Interview Date: May 5, 1988 Total Length of all Tracks: 36:21 Total Number of Tracks: 5
- Scope and Content
- Track 3: Esther recalls learning to drive, and Jim asks about her father’s pipe collection and the heating arrangements of the house. They discuss the family’s music and entertainments, and the furnishings and decoration of ground floor rooms. Esther mentions her job picking fruit. Jim shows the women photographs from the archives, and Esther identifies people. Jim asks about the dates of the photos and the additions to the house.
- History
- Jim Wolf talks about Love Farmhouse with Esther Stanley, daughter of Jesse and Martha Love. They discuss the property, and the furnishings, decoration and amenities of the house as she remembers them. Esther’s recollections were to be used as a resource for redecorating and refurnishing the house as it was in 1925 for its use as an exhibit at the Burnaby Village Museum. Esther’s daughters are also present at the interview.
- Creator
- Wolf, Jim
- Accession Code
- BV018.41.47
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- 1925 (interview content), interviewed May 5, 1988
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Title based on content of file
- 4 pages of interview notes accompanying oral history recording
Images
Audio Tracks
Oral history interview with Esther Stanley May 5, 1988 - Track 3, 1925 (interview content), interviewed May 5, 1988
Oral history interview with Esther Stanley May 5, 1988 - Track 3, 1925 (interview content), interviewed May 5, 1988
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2018_0041_0047_003.mp3