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![Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz, [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0006_001.jpg?width=280)
Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19602
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (68 min., 52 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (68 min., 53 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. 00:00-16:47 Bill and Ellen share where they were born, grew up and went to school as citizens of the United States and how they met in Pe…
- 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) (68 min., 52 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (68 min., 53 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Eric Damer Interviewees: Ellen and Bill Schwartz Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: May 15, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:08:52 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby Photograph information: Bill and Ellen Schwartz.
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. 00:00-16:47 Bill and Ellen share where they were born, grew up and went to school as citizens of the United States and how they met in Pennsylvania the 1970s. Bill and Ellen explain how in the 1970s, they were discouraged about the current politics in the United States under the Nixon administration and how they were inspired by the “back to the land” ideals, rejecting materialism and wanting an alternative lifestyle. With these ideals in mind, they recall how in 1972 they and a few other friends decided to leave the United States, move to British Columbia with the goal of buying land in the Okanagan or Kootenay region and starting a new lifestyle for themselves. Bill and Ellen recollect how they purchased 20 acres of land in Galena Bay in the Kootenays and how they lived in the area off and on until the early 1980s. They describe how they cleared three acres of land, built a cabin, put in a garden, chicken coop and honey bees. With the challenges of the isolated location and no access to electricity they explain how they decided that they had to live elsewhere in order to make a living. Ellen talks about working as a special education teacher in Revelstoke and Slocan and how Bill obtained his teaching certificate while they lived in Nelson. Bill and Ellen describe themselves as environmentalists and of how they both became active Provincial environmentalists during the construction of the Revelstoke Dam. Bill talks about getting work with the “Energy Van” program talking about energy conservation, renewable energy and recycling. They explain how after their first child was born in 1980, they returned to Galena Bay for about a year and a half until Bill was offered a job with the Department of Energy Conservation which lead them to move to Vancouver. 16:48 – 22:46 Bill and Ellen describe their first few years of living in Vancouver and at University of British Columbia while Ellen completed her master’s degree in creative writing. During this time, they had their second child. They recall how in 1988 how they purchased a house in Burnaby, selecting to live in the Deer Lake neighbourhood. They talk about the benefits of the neighbourhood including; a French immersion school for their children, proximity to the trails around Deer Lake and having transit close by. 22:47 – 33:55 Bill and Ellen talk about their consulting business “Polestar Communications”. A Burnaby based communications consulting firm composed of three people, Ellen and Bill and colleague Richard Banner. They describe how their business got started and some of the projects that they’ve worked on including; BC Hydro’s Power Smart Program, financial literacy curriculum that was introduced in B.C. schools and reports for the Province of British Columbia. Ellen and Bill convey how Bill has been a very active member with the City of Burnaby Environment Committee, the Steering Committee to develop a sustainable environmental strategy for Burnaby, how he’s been awarded for his contributions in coaching youth sports and other areas in which they have both volunteered. 33:56 – 43:07 Ellen describes how she got started in writing educational resources about the environment and how since she completed grad school in 1984, she’s published nineteen books. Ellen conveys how her first book was published and sold to the Province of British Columbia as part of the B.C. educational curriculum on the environment. Ellen talks about some of the children’s books that she’s written and published with themes including; social justice, the labour movement and racism in sports. Ellen describes some of her books and the research that she’s done. 43:08 – 51:04 Ellen and Bill Schwartz reflect on what they like about living in Burnaby. They talk about the benefits of their neighbourhood including; performances at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival, the Burnaby Art Gallery and Deer Lake as well as having access to parks and community centres in Burnaby. 51:05-56:36 Bill and Ellen reflect on their involvement in the Jewish community, considering themselves non-secular Jews. Ellen talks about how they were involved with “Burquest” a Jewish Community Association and how they often observe some of the Jewish holidays including Hanukah and traditions including the Jewish coming of age ritual, bar mitzvah (masc.) and bat mistvah (fem.). Ellen mentions her involvement with the “Jone Betty Stuchner Oy Vey! Funniest Children’s book Award” where she acts a judge and her involvement with the Jewish Book festival and that she is a recipient of the Jewish Book award. 56:37 – 1:08:53 Bill and Ellen reflect on their 35 years living in Burnaby and how they’ve seen it change. They talk about the increased development and density in the city, how they are troubled by a lack of low income housing, the benefits and importance of public transportation and preservation of green space including Burnaby parks.
- History
- Interviewees' biographies: Ellen Schwartz was born in Washington, DC, (1950) but grew up in New Jersey. She attended the Universities of Chicago and Wisconsin before moving to a farm in Pennsylvania, where she met her future husband Bill Schwartz. Bill Schwartz grew up in and around Philadelphia (b. 1947), and attended Pennsylvania State University. After travelling, and discouraged with life in eastern America, he and Ellen decided that British Columbia held better prospects. Bill and Ellen quit their jobs in 1972 and moved to the Kootenay region where they adopted a “back to the land” lifestyle, a very new experience for both of them. After eight years of modest success, and occasional work in nearby towns, they opted to return to Vancouver where Bill had work and where they could raise a family more easily. They rented in Vancouver for a few years before moving to family housing at UBC, while Ellen studied creative writing. Bill founded a communications and writing company, and in 1988 they purchased a home in Burnaby. Ellen launched a new career as a writer, mainly for children young adults. Both were active in their careers, raising a family, and participating in local social and political activities. Interviewer biography: Eric Damer is a Burnaby Village Museum Interpreter, Museum Registrar, Researcher and Blacksmith. Eric pounded hot steel for the first time in 1977 in junior high. Fifteen years later, he joined Burnaby Village Museum where he has smithed for three decades. He also provides historical research for museum exhibits and special projects. Outside the museum, Eric is a social historian with a special interest in educational history.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Education
- Environmental Issues
- Environmental Issues - Environmental Protection
- Geographic Features
- Geographic Features - Parks
- Housing
- Occupations
- Occupations - Entrepreneurs
- Occupations - Writers
- Persons - Volunteers
- Persons - Jewish Canadians
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Religions
- Religions - Judaism
- Names
- Schwartz, William "Bill"
- Schwartz, Ellen
- City of Burnaby
- Polestar Communications
- British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
- Responsibility
- Damer, Eric
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.6
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Lake Area
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby
Images
![Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz, [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0006_001.jpg)
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz, [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023
Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz, [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0006_003.mp3
Stream in Robert Burnaby Park
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription93668
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- January 15, 1978
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Public Library Contemporary Visual Archive Project
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a mostly dry stream in Robert Burnaby Park. The stream is surrounded by a forested area and the photograph shows a footbridge in the background. The photograph is taken in front of the stream, facing south.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- January 15, 1978
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Public Library Contemporary Visual Archive Project
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 556-625
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
- Accession Number
- 2017-57
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a mostly dry stream in Robert Burnaby Park. The stream is surrounded by a forested area and the photograph shows a footbridge in the background. The photograph is taken in front of the stream, facing south.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Surridge, Jack
- Notes
- Title taken from project information form
- Accompanied by a project information form and 1 photograph (b&w negative ; 9.5 x 12.5 cm)
- BPL no. 74
- Geographic Access
- Robert Burnaby Park
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Lakeview-Mayfield Area
Images
Burnaby Mountain Park
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription93639
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- November 19, 1977
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Public Library Contemporary Visual Archive Project
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the hillside on the top of Burnaby Mountain Park, with a person in the foreground looking out to the view. The photograph is taken facing northwest and shows the view over the the Burrard Inlet. Capitol Hill, the North Shore Mountains, and downtown Vancouver are visible in the distanc…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- November 19, 1977
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Public Library Contemporary Visual Archive Project
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 556-596
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
- Accession Number
- 2017-57
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the hillside on the top of Burnaby Mountain Park, with a person in the foreground looking out to the view. The photograph is taken facing northwest and shows the view over the the Burrard Inlet. Capitol Hill, the North Shore Mountains, and downtown Vancouver are visible in the distance.
- Names
- Burnaby Mountain Park
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- van Mannen, Mark
- Notes
- Title taken from project information form
- Accompanied by a project information form and 1 photograph (b&w negative ; 9.5 x 12.5 cm)
- BPL no. 45
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Mountain Area
Images
Burnaby Mountain Park
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription93640
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- November 19, 1977
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Public Library Contemporary Visual Archive Project
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the top of Burnaby Mountain Park and the view of Vancouver from the hillside, with a man standing in the foreground. The photograph is taken facing west of southwest. Capitol Hill, the Burrard Inlet, the North Shore Mountains, Vancouver, and Stanley Park are visible in the distance.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- November 19, 1977
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Public Library Contemporary Visual Archive Project
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 556-597
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
- Accession Number
- 2017-57
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the top of Burnaby Mountain Park and the view of Vancouver from the hillside, with a man standing in the foreground. The photograph is taken facing west of southwest. Capitol Hill, the Burrard Inlet, the North Shore Mountains, Vancouver, and Stanley Park are visible in the distance.
- Names
- Burnaby Mountain Park
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- McGillivray, Don
- Notes
- Title taken from project information form
- Accompanied by a project information form and 1 photograph (b&w negative ; 9.5 x 12.5 cm)
- BPL no. 46
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Mountain Area
Images
Burnaby Mountain Park
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription93645
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- November 19, 1977
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Public Library Contemporary Visual Archive Project
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the view from Burnaby Mountain of the Burrard Inlet, the oil refinery, and the mountains. The photograph is taken from Burnaby Mountain Park, facing north.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- November 19, 1977
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Public Library Contemporary Visual Archive Project
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 556-602
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
- Accession Number
- 2017-57
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the view from Burnaby Mountain of the Burrard Inlet, the oil refinery, and the mountains. The photograph is taken from Burnaby Mountain Park, facing north.
- Subjects
- Geographic Features - Inlets
- Geographic Features - Parks
- Geographic Features - Mountains
- Buildings - Industrial - Refineries
- Names
- Burnaby Mountain Park
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- van Mannen, Mark
- Notes
- Title taken from project information form
- Accompanied by a project information form and 1 photograph (b&w negative ; 9.5 x 12.5 cm)
- BPL no. 52
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
- Burrard Inlet
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Mountain Area
Images
Burnaby Mountain Park Looking West
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription93707
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- February 15, 1978
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Public Library Contemporary Visual Archive Project
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the view from Burnaby Mountain Park. The photograph is taken facing west and shows the park, part of the parking lot at the Burnaby Centennial Pavilion, and Capitol Hill and the mountains in the distance.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- February 15, 1978
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Public Library Contemporary Visual Archive Project
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 556-664
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
- Accession Number
- 2017-57
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the view from Burnaby Mountain Park. The photograph is taken facing west and shows the park, part of the parking lot at the Burnaby Centennial Pavilion, and Capitol Hill and the mountains in the distance.
- Subjects
- Geographic Features - Parks
- Geographic Features - Mountains
- Geographic Features - Automobile Parking Lots
- Names
- Burnaby Mountain Park
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Surridge, Jack
- Notes
- Title taken from project information form
- Accompanied by a project information form and 1 photograph (b&w negative ; 9.5 x 12.5 cm)
- BPL no. 112
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
- Street Address
- 100 Centennial Way
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Mountain Area
Images
Interview with John Templeton, Alan James and Christine Leston by Kathy Bossort October 26, 2015 - Track 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory587
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1970-2015
- Length
- 0:14:04
- Summary
- This portion of the interview introduces John Templeton, Alan James and Christine Leston, three members of the stream keepers group Stoney Creek Environment Committee (SCEC), and their description of The Great Salmon Send-Off event on Stoney Creek and its start in 1990. John Templeton also talks ab…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview introduces John Templeton, Alan James and Christine Leston, three members of the stream keepers group Stoney Creek Environment Committee (SCEC), and their description of The Great Salmon Send-Off event on Stoney Creek and its start in 1990. John Templeton also talks about the life cycle of chum and coho salmon.
- Date Range
- 1970-2015
- Length
- 0:14:04
- Subjects
- Geographic Features - Streams
- Events
- Organizations - Societies and Clubs
- Persons - Volunteers
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
- Brunette River
- Stoney Creek
- Interviewer
- Bossort, Kathy
- Interview Date
- October 26, 2015
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with John Templeton, Alan James & Christine Leston, members of the Stoney Creek Environment Committee, conducted by Kathy Bossort. The three members of SCEC were among 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about the history and work of the stream keeper group Stoney Creek Environment Committee (SCEC) and the Stoney Creek Environmental Working Group, and about SCEC’s founder Jennifer Atkinson. The interview is made richer by the complementary views of the three interviewees, John Templeton (SCEC Chair), Alan James (Member-at-Large - Education), and Christine Leston (Treasurer).
- Biographical Notes
- The Stoney Creek Environment Committee is a streamkeeper group and registered non-profit society dedicated to protecting and restoring viable salmon-bearing streams within the Stoney Creek Watershed. (Stoney Creek originates on Burnaby Mountain and is part of the Brunette watershed which empties into the Fraser River.) The volunteer group, formed in 1995, was guided by the tireless efforts of Jennifer Atchison (1938-2010) after whom the Jennifer Atchison Environmental Centre in North Burnaby is named. The volunteer members of SCEC monitor water quality, generate inventories and reports on the biophysical assets and health of the watershed, provide educational opportunities, enhance stream and stream bank habitat, and speak on behalf of the Stoney Creek watershed. One of its key events is The Great Salmon Send-Off, the release of young salmon into Stoney Creek in May, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2015. The Stoney Creek Environmental Working Group (1999-present), managed by the City of Burnaby, undertakes to coordinate the actions of all stakeholders in the Stoney Creek watershed. It is comprised of representatives from community groups, such as SCEC, governmental and institutional agencies, and industries who are committed to sustaining and improving the quality of the Stoney Creek watershed’s water, wildlife and environment. John Templeton, currently SCEC Chair, joined SCEC in 2004. He was born in Coleraine ,County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, in 1957, and after immigrating to Canada, came to live in Burnaby in 1992, first in Forest Grove (1992-2014) and then in Forest Hills. He works as a millwright. Alan James,Member-at-large - Education, joined SCEC in 2003 He was born in 1939 in Berkeley, California, and came to live in Burnaby in about 2000. He is a retired geophycisist and computer consultant. Christine Leston joined SCEC in 1997, serving first as Secretary and then as Treasurer. She was born in 1943 in Cheshire, England, and came to live in Burnaby in 1974, first in Greentree Village, then Simon Fraser Village (1974-2004) and now the Edmonds area. She is a retired technical writer.
- Total Tracks
- 9
- Total Length
- 2:08:27
- Interviewee Name
- Templeton, John R.
- James, Alan C.
- Leston, Christine
- Interview Location
- Jennifer Atchison Environmental Centre, Burnaby
- Interviewer Bio
- Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.
- Collection/Fonds
- Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
Audio Tracks
Track one of interview with John Templeton, Alan James & Christine Leston
Track one of interview with John Templeton, Alan James & Christine Leston
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS196-006/MSS196-006_Track_1.mp3![Tony Fabian relaxing at a picnic table, [1970]. Item no. 549-026. thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/540/549-026.jpg?width=280)
Interview with Tony Fabian by Eric Damer October 10, 2012 - Track 4
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory325
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1972-2012
- Length
- 0:11:59
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Tony Fabian's involvement in the development of the Stream Preservation Bylaw in Burnaby. He discusses fish populations, air quality, and bird populations in Burnaby as well.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Tony Fabian's involvement in the development of the Stream Preservation Bylaw in Burnaby. He discusses fish populations, air quality, and bird populations in Burnaby as well.
- Date Range
- 1972-2012
- Photo Info
- Tony Fabian relaxing at a picnic table, [1970]. Item no. 549-026.
- Length
- 0:11:59
- Interviewer
- Damer, Eric
- Interview Date
- October 10, 2012
- Scope and Content
- Recording is an interview with Tony Fabian conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, October 10, 2012. Major theme discussed: environmental conservation practices in Burnaby.
- Biographical Notes
- Tony Fabian was born and raised in rural Saskatchewan in 1934. He and his wife moved to Burnaby in 1957, where he worked for the telephone company and raised a family. Tony has been an advocate for preservation of parklands and watercourses, helping to protect Burnaby and Deer Lake Parks and to create the Burnaby Fraser Foreshore and Barnet Marine Parks in the early nineteen-seventies, serving as a member of Burnaby’s Parks and Recreation Commission. Tony Fabian was presented with the 2008 City of Burnaby Environment Award for Community Stewardship.
- Total Tracks
- 5
- Total Length
- 0:47:48
- Interviewee Name
- Fabian, Tony
- Interview Location
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Interviewer Bio
- Eric Damer is a lifelong British Columbian born in Victoria, raised in Kamloops, and currently residing in Burnaby. After studying philosophy at the University of Victoria, he became interested in the educational forces that had shaped his own life. He completed master’s and doctoral degrees in educational studies at the University of British Columbia with a particular interest in the history of adult and higher education in the province. In 2012, Eric worked for the City of Burnaby as a field researcher and writer, conducting interviews for the City Archives and Museum Oral History Program.
- Collection/Fonds
- Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
- Transcript Available
- None
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
Images
![Tony Fabian relaxing at a picnic table, [1970]. Item no. 549-026. thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/540/549-026.jpg)
Audio Tracks
Track four of recording of interview with Tony Fabian
Track four of recording of interview with Tony Fabian
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS171-009/MSS171-009_Track_4.mp3
Men at Heritage Village
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription2507
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 11 April 1971
- Collection/Fonds
- Donald Copan collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.9 x 8.9 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two unidentifed men (one in hard hat) and two children standing in a field next to a creek bed during the official sod-turning for Heritage Village (now Burnaby Village Museum), April 11, 1971. Burnaby fire hall number is visible in the distance behind trees.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Donald Copan collection
- Series
- Copan album series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.9 x 8.9 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two unidentifed men (one in hard hat) and two children standing in a field next to a creek bed during the official sod-turning for Heritage Village (now Burnaby Village Museum), April 11, 1971. Burnaby fire hall number is visible in the distance behind trees.
- Subjects
- Events
- Geographic Features - Streams
- Names
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- BV005.54.556
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- 11 April 1971
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Morley-Buckingham Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- August 18, 2020
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Men at on site of Heritage Village
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription13669
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 11 April 1971
- Collection/Fonds
- Donald Copan collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. ; 8.9 x 12.7 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two unidentifed men (one in hard hat) and two children standing in a field next to a creek bed during the official sod-turning for Heritage Village (now Burnaby Village Museum), April 11, 1971. Burnaby fire hall number is visible in the distance behind trees.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Donald Copan collection
- Series
- Copan album series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. ; 8.9 x 12.7 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two unidentifed men (one in hard hat) and two children standing in a field next to a creek bed during the official sod-turning for Heritage Village (now Burnaby Village Museum), April 11, 1971. Burnaby fire hall number is visible in the distance behind trees.
- Subjects
- Events
- Geographic Features - Streams
- Names
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- BV005.54.575
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- 11 April 1971
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Morley-Buckingham Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- August 18, 2020
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Burnaby Mountain Parking Lot & Restaurant
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription93706
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- February 15, 1978
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Public Library Contemporary Visual Archive Project
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the view of the mountains and park from a hill on Burnaby Mountain Park. The photograph is taken facing north. The photograph shows the parking lot and the Burnaby Mountain Centennial Pavilion.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- February 15, 1978
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Public Library Contemporary Visual Archive Project
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 556-663
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
- Accession Number
- 2017-57
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the view of the mountains and park from a hill on Burnaby Mountain Park. The photograph is taken facing north. The photograph shows the parking lot and the Burnaby Mountain Centennial Pavilion.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants
- Buildings - Civic
- Buildings - Recreational
- Geographic Features - Automobile Parking Lots
- Geographic Features - Parks
- Names
- Burnaby Mountain Park
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Surridge, Jack
- Notes
- Title taken from project information form
- Accompanied by a project information form and 1 photograph (b&w negative ; 9.5 x 12.5 cm)
- BPL no. 111
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby Lake Regional Nature Park
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
- Street Address
- 100 Centennial Way
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Mountain Area
Images
Interview with Alekxos Sarter by Kathy Bossort October 16, 2015 - Track 2
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory578
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1958-1992
- Length
- 0:12:40
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Alekxos Sarter’s first years of employment with Parks, her sources of knowledge about Burnaby Mountain, and the department’s activities in Burnaby Mountain Park. She talks about the loop trail planned for Burnaby Mountain Park in 1958, the Trans Canada Trail p…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Alekxos Sarter’s first years of employment with Parks, her sources of knowledge about Burnaby Mountain, and the department’s activities in Burnaby Mountain Park. She talks about the loop trail planned for Burnaby Mountain Park in 1958, the Trans Canada Trail project, events and issues at the Pavilion, and keeping track of trails on SFU lands.
- Date Range
- 1958-1992
- Length
- 0:12:40
- Names
- Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department
- Burnaby Mountain Park
- Kamui Mintara
- Trans Canada Trail
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
- Interviewer
- Bossort, Kathy
- Interview Date
- October 16, 2015
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Alekxos Sarter conducted by Kathy Bossort. Alekxos Sarter was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about the history of setting aside parkland on Burnaby Mountain from Alekxos Sarter’s perspective and experience as employee in the City of Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services. The interview provides an excellent explanation of the history and function of kinds of park dedications used by the City of Burnaby; an overview of issues around including the Trans Mountain tank farm in the conservation area; and the background to the land use and ownership disagreement between the City of Burnaby and Simon Fraser University, its resolution, and the subsequent development of SFU’s UniverCity. Alekxos Sarter talks about Richard Bolton, Burnaby’s Acting-Commissioner who was responsible for dedicating the first park on Burnaby Mountain in 1942, and the creation of a park named after him in UniverCity.
- Biographical Notes
- Alekxos Sarter was born in Vancouver in 1961, to Daine and Kasandra Sarter. She grew up in North Vancouver and since 1994 has lived on a sailboat in False Creek. After attending UBC where she studied landscape architecture, she was hired by the City of Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services in 1986. Working first in parks design, Alekxos quickly moved into parks planning, her preferred career. As Research Officer she covers research, planning, public consultation, parks and facility inventory, parkland acquisition, among other duties.
- Total Tracks
- 9
- Total Length
- 2:20:47
- Interviewee Name
- Sarter, Alekxos T.
- Interview Location
- City of Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services meeting room
- Interviewer Bio
- Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.
- Collection/Fonds
- Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
Audio Tracks
Track two of interview with Alekxos Sarter
Track two of interview with Alekxos Sarter
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS196-005/MSS196-005_Track_2.mp3Interview with Alekxos Sarter by Kathy Bossort October 16, 2015 - Track 5
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory581
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1974-2015
- Length
- 0:16:29
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Alekxos Sarter’s explanation about how lands transferred from SFU to the City of Burnaby are subject to a conservation covenant with the province, what uses are allowed, and how covenant conservation principals are applied to all of Burnaby Mountain Conservati…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Alekxos Sarter’s explanation about how lands transferred from SFU to the City of Burnaby are subject to a conservation covenant with the province, what uses are allowed, and how covenant conservation principals are applied to all of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area with the exception of the Pavilion (Centennial Park) area. Also discussed is the value of the traditional landmark character of Burnaby Mountain and the different meanings given to that phrase.
- Date Range
- 1974-2015
- Length
- 0:16:29
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
- Interviewer
- Bossort, Kathy
- Interview Date
- October 16, 2015
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Alekxos Sarter conducted by Kathy Bossort. Alekxos Sarter was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about the history of setting aside parkland on Burnaby Mountain from Alekxos Sarter’s perspective and experience as employee in the City of Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services. The interview provides an excellent explanation of the history and function of kinds of park dedications used by the City of Burnaby; an overview of issues around including the Trans Mountain tank farm in the conservation area; and the background to the land use and ownership disagreement between the City of Burnaby and Simon Fraser University, its resolution, and the subsequent development of SFU’s UniverCity. Alekxos Sarter talks about Richard Bolton, Burnaby’s Acting-Commissioner who was responsible for dedicating the first park on Burnaby Mountain in 1942, and the creation of a park named after him in UniverCity.
- Biographical Notes
- Alekxos Sarter was born in Vancouver in 1961, to Daine and Kasandra Sarter. She grew up in North Vancouver and since 1994 has lived on a sailboat in False Creek. After attending UBC where she studied landscape architecture, she was hired by the City of Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services in 1986. Working first in parks design, Alekxos quickly moved into parks planning, her preferred career. As Research Officer she covers research, planning, public consultation, parks and facility inventory, parkland acquisition, among other duties.
- Total Tracks
- 9
- Total Length
- 2:20:47
- Interviewee Name
- Sarter, Alekxos T.
- Interview Location
- City of Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services meeting room
- Interviewer Bio
- Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.
- Collection/Fonds
- Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
Audio Tracks
Track five of interview with Alekxos Sarter
Track five of interview with Alekxos Sarter
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS196-005/MSS196-005_Track_5.mp3Interview with Harry Pride by Eric Damer December 4, 2012 - Track 3
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory389
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1966-1972
- Length
- 0:09:54
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to A.H. "Harry" Pride's volunteer work for the City of Burnaby. Harry describes his volunteer years with the Parks and Recreation Commission.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to A.H. "Harry" Pride's volunteer work for the City of Burnaby. Harry describes his volunteer years with the Parks and Recreation Commission.
- Date Range
- 1966-1972
- Length
- 0:09:54
- Interviewer
- Damer, Eric
- Interview Date
- December 4, 2012
- Scope and Content
- Recording is an interview with A. H. "Harry" Pride conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, December 4, 2012. Major themes discussed are: volunteering on a Commission of Council and raising children in Burnaby.
- Biographical Notes
- A.H. "Harry" Pride was born in Chilliwack in 1925 and grew up in Richmond, where he attended school. After graduation, he enlisted in the Air Force and was selected for pilot training, but re-mustered as a Flight Engineer, attaining the rank of Pilot Officer. Harry returned to Vancouver in 1945 and completed university education at the University of British Columbia (UBC) to become a teacher and administrator, finding work at Alpha Junior Secondary School in Burnaby. He commuted to Burnaby for a couple of years before moving with his wife and young family to a new home in the Cascade Heights area. As well as a career in teaching and educational administration, Harry was particularly active in sports and recreation through the schools and contributed considerably to Burnaby parks and recreation facilities, beginning his service on the Parks Commission in 1969. In 1993, Harry Pride was awarded the Kushiro Cup for Outstanding Citizen of the Year.
- Total Tracks
- 7
- Total Length
- 1:07:17
- Interviewee Name
- Pride, A.H. "Harry"
- Interview Location
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Interviewer Bio
- Eric Damer is a lifelong British Columbian born in Victoria, raised in Kamloops, and currently residing in Burnaby. After studying philosophy at the University of Victoria, he became interested in the educational forces that had shaped his own life. He completed master’s and doctoral degrees in educational studies at the University of British Columbia with a particular interest in the history of adult and higher education in the province. In 2012, Eric worked for the City of Burnaby as a field researcher and writer, conducting interviews for the City Archives and Museum Oral History Program.
- Collection/Fonds
- Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
- Transcript Available
- None
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
Audio Tracks
Track three of recording of interview with Harry Pride
Track three of recording of interview with Harry Pride
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS171-022/MSS171-022_Track_3.mp3Interview with Leonard Evenden and Allen Seager by Kathy Bossort November 18, 2015 - Track 6
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory626
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1965-2015
- Length
- 0:09:23
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Dr. Evenden and Dr. Seager’s discussion about the future for parks and the urban forest on Burnaby Mountain.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Dr. Evenden and Dr. Seager’s discussion about the future for parks and the urban forest on Burnaby Mountain.
- Date Range
- 1965-2015
- Length
- 0:09:23
- Names
- Simon Fraser University
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
- Interviewer
- Bossort, Kathy
- Interview Date
- November 18, 2015
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Dr. Leonard Evenden and Dr. Allen Seager conducted by Kathy Bossort. Leonard Evenden and Allen Seager were two of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about aspects of Simon Fraser University’s history that is related to its site on Burnaby Mountain, as told by two retired SFU professors, Dr. Evenden of the Geography Department and Dr. Seager of the Department of History. The interview ranges over campus access and housing issues created by the isolated mountain site; the relationship of the university to the local community and the dispute over land ownership and control with the City of Burnaby; SFU’s environmental stewardship; the development of UniverCity; and the future of parkland in the conservation area on Burnaby Mountain.
- Biographical Notes
- Dr. Leonard J. Evenden was born 1937 in Beijing, China, to parents and Salvation Army missionaries Leonard Evenden and Elsie Pearl March. Dr. Evenden attended McMaster University (B.A. 1960), University of Georgia (M.A. 1962) and University of Edinburgh (Ph.D. 1970). He was appointed to Simon Fraser University’s Department of Geography in 1966, shortly after SFU opened in the fall of 1965, and retired in 2002. Dr. Evenden’s research has focused on Canadian urban geography. He edited a collection of essays about Burnaby titled “Suburb of Happy Homes: Burnaby centennial themes” (1995), and directed “Voices of Burnaby”, an SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee oral history project (1992). Dr. Evenden is married with three children. Dr. Allen Seager was born 1953 in Montreal, Quebec, to parents C.F.B. Seager and Evelyn DeGex Chesam. Dr. Seager is a retired Simon Fraser University professor, being a member of SFU’s Department of History from 1981 to 2014, and has current links with SFU as an instructor for Continuing Studies. His research interests include history of Canada and Western Canada, and labour and working class history, particularly in the coal mining and railway industries. Dr. Seager moved to Burnaby and the Montecito area in 1981 where he continues to live and enjoy the hiking trails on Burnaby Mountain and the amenities at SFU. Dr. Seager is a member of the Burnaby North NDP, and has volunteered with Scouts Canada and the Burnaby Centennial Committee.
- Total Tracks
- 6
- Total Length
- 1:11:28
- Interviewee Name
- Evenden, Leonard J.
- Seager, Allen
- Interview Location
- Clubhouse at Burnaby Mountain Golf Course Restaurant
- Interviewer Bio
- Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.
- Collection/Fonds
- Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
Audio Tracks
Track six of interview with Dr. Leonard Evenden and Dr. Allen Seager
Track six of interview with Dr. Leonard Evenden and Dr. Allen Seager
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS196-011/MSS196-011_Track_6.mp3Interview with Reidun Seim by Kathy Bossort January 13, 2016 - Track 13
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory662
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1965-2015
- Length
- 0:16:00
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Reidun Seim talking about what the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area means to her, and how green space benefits people, especially giving them the freedom and safety she remembers from her childhood. She talks about her concern about the construction of Unive…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Reidun Seim talking about what the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area means to her, and how green space benefits people, especially giving them the freedom and safety she remembers from her childhood. She talks about her concern about the construction of UniverCity and its impact on erosion and water drainage from the mountain. She tells a story about flooding from overflowing ditches on Curtis Street in the 1970s.
- Date Range
- 1965-2015
- Length
- 0:16:00
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Lochdale Area
- Westridge Area
- Interviewer
- Bossort, Kathy
- Interview Date
- January 13, 2016
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Reidun Seim conducted by Kathy Bossort. Reidun Seim was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about Reidun Seim’s memories about her parent’s farm on Curtis Street, events in her childhood, and the people who lived in or visited her neighborhood. She takes us on a tour of her neighborhood in the 1940s, telling us stories about families who lived on Curtis Street on and east of 7300 block, including people who lived on Burnaby Mountain in the old Hastings Grove subdivision above the end of municipal water service at Philips Avenue. She describes changes to Curtis Street, particularly after it provided access to Simon Fraser University in 1965. She also talks about her teaching career, and about how she values the green space and conservation area on Burnaby Mountain.
- Biographical Notes
- Reidun Seim was born in 1931 in Vancouver B.C. to Sjur and Martine Seim. Sjur and Martine Seim emigrated to Canada from Norway in 1930, and after settling in Vancouver, moved to an acre of land and a new home at the base of Burnaby Mountain in 1932. Sjur attended UBC to learn about poultry farming and began his own chicken and egg business in 1935. The farm animals and large garden also contributed to the family’s livelihood and self-sufficiency. The Curtis Street neighborhood was a lively place and extended well up Curtis Street on the west slope of Burnaby Mountain, where Reidun would babysit for families. Reidun attended Sperling Avenue Elementary School (Gr. 1-8), Burnaby North High School, and Vancouver Normal School for teacher training in 1950-1951. She began teaching primary grades in Port Coquitlam at James Park School. Most of her career was spent in North Delta, teaching at Kennedy and Annieville schools from 1954-1958, appointed Primary Consultant (1958-1960) and Primary Supervisor (1960-1985), before retiring in 1986. Reidun lived at home with her parents on Curtis Street, commuting to Delta, and continues to live in the original farmhouse.
- Total Tracks
- 14
- Total Length
- 2:35:58
- Interviewee Name
- Seim, Reidun
- Interview Location
- Burnaby City Hall in the Law Library
- Interviewer Bio
- Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.
- Collection/Fonds
- Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
Audio Tracks
Track thirteen of interview with Reidun Seim
Track thirteen of interview with Reidun Seim
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS196-017/MSS196-017_Track_13.mp3
Interview with Tony Fabian by Eric Damer October 10, 2012 - Track 5
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory326
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1971-2012
- Length
- 0:09:30
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Tony Fabian's memories of the development of the Fraser River Foreshore and the Confederation Community Centre (previously named Confederation House).
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Tony Fabian's memories of the development of the Fraser River Foreshore and the Confederation Community Centre (previously named Confederation House).
- Date Range
- 1971-2012
- Photo Info
- Tony Fabian relaxing at a picnic table, [1970]. Item no. 549-026.
- Length
- 0:09:30
- Interviewer
- Damer, Eric
- Interview Date
- October 10, 2012
- Scope and Content
- Recording is an interview with Tony Fabian conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, October 10, 2012. Major theme discussed: environmental conservation practices in Burnaby.
- Biographical Notes
- Tony Fabian was born and raised in rural Saskatchewan in 1934. He and his wife moved to Burnaby in 1957, where he worked for the telephone company and raised a family. Tony has been an advocate for preservation of parklands and watercourses, helping to protect Burnaby and Deer Lake Parks and to create the Burnaby Fraser Foreshore and Barnet Marine Parks in the early nineteen-seventies, serving as a member of Burnaby’s Parks and Recreation Commission. Tony Fabian was presented with the 2008 City of Burnaby Environment Award for Community Stewardship.
- Total Tracks
- 5
- Total Length
- 0:47:48
- Interviewee Name
- Fabian, Tony
- Interview Location
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Interviewer Bio
- Eric Damer is a lifelong British Columbian born in Victoria, raised in Kamloops, and currently residing in Burnaby. After studying philosophy at the University of Victoria, he became interested in the educational forces that had shaped his own life. He completed master’s and doctoral degrees in educational studies at the University of British Columbia with a particular interest in the history of adult and higher education in the province. In 2012, Eric worked for the City of Burnaby as a field researcher and writer, conducting interviews for the City Archives and Museum Oral History Program.
- Collection/Fonds
- Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
- Transcript Available
- None
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
Images
Audio Tracks
Track five of recording of interview with Tony Fabian
Track five of recording of interview with Tony Fabian
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS171-009/MSS171-009_Track_5.mp3Interview with Richard Liu
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20283
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 3 sound recordings (wav) (153 min., 33 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (152 min., 59 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Richard Liu conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 11, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:26:39 Richard Liu shares biographical information about himself and his family in China. He talks about his family being forced…
- 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
- 3 sound recordings (wav) (153 min., 33 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (152 min., 59 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Denise Fong Interviewee: Richard Liu Location of Interview: Love farmhouse at Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: September 11, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 3 Total Length of all Tracks: 02:33:33 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto three separate audio tracks, edited and merged together into one track and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Richard Liu conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 11, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:26:39 Richard Liu shares biographical information about himself and his family in China. He talks about his family being forced out by the communist regime in the early ‘50s and their experiences immigrating to Hong Kong, Europe and Canada. 00:26:40 - 00:32:59 Richard talks about his parents’ experiences living in Toronto, Victoria and Burnaby and shares some of his father’s business accomplishments including establishing the first direct flight to Beijing in 1987 and the first sister city between China and Canada. 00:33:00 – 01:13:59 Richard talks about living in Burnaby and his educational experiences at Thomas More Collegiate. He recalls his experience of travelling to North Korea in 1988 and being a student at Peking University in Beijing during the student-led demonstrations in Tiananmen Square and the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. 01:14:00 – 01:26:16 Richard talks about his education and reflects on how his experiences in Beijing influenced his education and career choices including working in the Prime Minister’s office on trade missions to China and talks about the importance of leaning French. 01:26:17 – 01:48:35 Richard shares his memories and experiences of; being on the Canadian Paralympic Committee during the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games in China, supporting Rick Hansen during his visit to China for the 25th anniversary of the Man in Motion World Tour and working with Team Canada in China for the 2022 Olympic Games. 01:48:36 – 01:52:22 Richard talks about his life in Burnaby after moving back from China in 2014 and the changes he’s noticed since being away. Richard talks about his involvement with St. John Ambulance, his role as the Honorary Brigade Division President and his role as Heritage Commissioner for the City of Burnaby. 02:14:32 – 02:29:27 Richard talks about his investiture to the Order of Saint John in 2023 and reflects on the accomplishments of his great uncle Dr. Shin-Shu Liu (China’s first Ambassador to Canada). 02:29:28 – 02:32:59 In closing Richard imparts some words of wisdom for future generations.
- History
- Interviewee biography: Richard N. Liu was born in 1970 in Toronto and raised in British Columbia. Richard's family has distinguished Canada-China ties for three generations. His Great-Uncle, Dr. Liu Shih-shun, was China's first Ambassador to Canada in 1942 and his father, Dr. Liu Dun-ren, built relations in education, culture and tourism for three decades including establishing the first Twin Sister City between Canada and China with Victoria and Suzhou in 1980. Richard's maternal great-grandfather, Dr. Wu Han-chi (1872-1913) played an active role in uprisings that shaped the future of modern China, was an elected member of the lower house of the first formal parliament in 1913 and was assassinated on political grounds. Dr. Wu's daughter, Dr. Wu Chi-mei served Dr. Sun Yat-sen, was elected as a Guangzhou City Councillor and visited Vancouver in 1929 and 1932. After graduating from St. Thomas More Collegiate in Vancouver, Richard Liu moved to China to begin his studies at Peking University but in 1989, following the Tiananmen Square protest and massacre, he was evacuated from China and returned to Canada. While back in Canada, Liu completed a BA in East Asian Studies from the University of British Columbia and in 1993, he returned to China to continue his Chinese studies at Peking University and continued to live in China for twenty years. In 2008, Richard worked as Team Canada’s Attaché for the Paralympic Summer Games that took place in Beijing. In 2014, Liu returned to Canada and made his home in Burnaby with his wife and two children. In 2022, Liu returned to Beijing to serve as Mission Staff member for Team Canada at the Winter Olympics. Richard has also played a leading role with the Terry Fox Run, Special Olympics and Rick Hansen's visit to Beijing in 2011. Liu’s areas of expertize include; public relations, diplomacy, major events organization and education. Liu works as an advisor in East Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia and is a MA Candidate at Peking University. Richard founded the Canadian Alumni Network that connects over 16,000 alumni in China who’ve attended Canada's post-secondary institutions. Liu has been a commissioner with the City of Burnaby’s Heritage Commission (2018-2023) and sits on various boards advising companies and organizations on a variety of sectors pertaining to Asia. In 2019, Liu was appointed the Honorary Brigade Division President for St. John Ambulance and was among 13 UBC Alumni to be recognized and awarded the 2018-2019 UBC Alumni Builder Award “For his service, dedication, and contribution to UBC and its alumni community. For his long record of service fostering connections with alumni and students in Beijing and Asia as well as dedication to mentoring students in the Faculty of Arts.” On June 24 2023, Richard was formally invested into the Order of St. John, one of five national orders in the Canadian Honours System. Interviewer biography: Denise Fong is a historical researcher at Burnaby Village Museum. She has degrees in Anthropology (BA) and Archaeology (MA), and is completing her doctoral degree at UBC in Interdisciplinary Studies. Her primary research interests are in Chinese Canadian history and critical heritage studies. She is the co-curator of BVM’s “Across the Pacific” exhibition, and the Museum of Vancouver’s “A Seat at the Table – Chinese Immigration and British Columbia”.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Persons - Chinese Canadians
- Migration
- Officials
- Education
- Protests and Demonstrations
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Sports
- Travel
- Religions - Christianity
- Names
- Canadian Paralympic Committee
- Chak, Dr. Po Tin
- Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC
- Liu, Richard N.
- Liu, Dr. Dun-ren
- Liu, Dr. Shih-Shun
- Gigli, Beniamino
- Hansen, Richard Marvin "Rick"
- Olympic Games
- Paralympic Games
- Peking University
- St. John Ambulance
- St. Thomas More Collegiate
- Tiananmen Square
- University of British Columbia
- Responsibility
- Fong, Denise
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.17
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- transcription available
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Richard Liu, [1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023
Interview with Richard Liu, [1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0017_004.mp3Interview with Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19603
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1967-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (93 min., 7 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (92 min., 57 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal, founders of Vancouver Sath conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks. The interview is taking place at the Burnaby Village Museum's exhibit "Truths not Often Told: Being South Asian in…
- 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) (93 min., 7 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (92 min., 57 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: James Binks Interviewee: Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: May 29, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks:1:33:07 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together into one track and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal, founders of Vancouver Sath conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks. The interview is taking place at the Burnaby Village Museum's exhibit "Truths not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby". The interview focuses on the history of "Vancouver Sath" as well as literary works created by Hundal and Binning and the Punjabi literary magazine "Watno Dur" and "Watan". 00:00 - 13:30 Interview opens with brief introductions and information on Sadhu Binning, Sukhwant Hundal and Vancouver Sath provided by the interviewer, James Binks. Interviewees Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal describe how they met and what they were focused on prior to the formation of the organization Vancouver Sath. Binning briefly describes how he became involved as a writer in the literary world and recalls how he published his first poem in an Indian literary magazine in 1972. Hundal describes how he immigrated to Canada from Punjab in 1975, the various industries that he worked in as a new immigrant and his interest in literature with a focus on social issues. Hundel describes how he developed a relationship with Sadhu Binning after his short story was published in "Watno Dur" literary magazine which in turn lead to his involvement with the Punjabi Literary Association and becoming co-editor of "Watnu Dur". 13:31 – 27:44 Hundal provides more background on his life as a South Asian immigrant, working in sawmills and completing a diploma in Power and Process Engineering and how he first became interested in literature while living in India. Binning and Hundal both share their insights into the formation of Vancouver Sath and provide details on their involvement with the Punjabi literary publication “Watnu Dur”. Binning describes how the inspiration for the formation of the Vancouver Sath organization came from India and that Binning, Hundal and some other members of the Punjabi Literary Association decided to form their own group where they could have more informal discussions around social, political and literary issues. 27:45 – 43:31 Binning describes how the political issues that were happening in Punjab between 1978 and 1983 influenced discussions in the South Asian community whereas prior to 1978 there was more focus on local issues that new immigrants were facing. Binning conveys how their work with Vancouver Sath endeavored to focus more on local issues and Hundal conveys how they made the decision to begin producing theatrical works rather than just written works to reach a wider audience. Hundal and Binning share names of the people that were involved with Vancouver Sath and describe some of the early plays that they performed. Binning describes the foundations of the organization where they worked together as a collective making decisions in producing and performing the works with Binning and Hundal taking on the responsibility for the written work. They talk about their first paid experience being invited to perform a few of their plays at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival. 43:32 – 55:17 Hundal and Binning describe how they continued to support themselves financially since they weren’t making money from Vancouver Sath. Binning and Hundal provide further details on how their collective worked with the process of writing the plays and presenting and discussing details with the Vancouver Sath community before performing to an audience. Hundal talks about the transition that the magazine “Watno Dur” took in 1986 which lead to renaming it “Watan”. Hundal and Binning discuss how in 1992 and 1993 they decided to try to get more young people involved and began publishing a magazine in English called “Ankur”. They describe the content and list some of the authors who contributed to the magazine. 55:18 – 1:20:12 Hundal and Binning provide background details on the author of “Maluka”, Sadhu Singh Dhami and describe the details that lead them to translating the book into Punjabi, touring with the author and adapting the novel into a play which Vancouver Sath performed. Binning and Hundal describe and discuss other plays that Vancouver Sath performed including some plays that were recorded and broadcast over local radio stations. 1:20:13 – 1:32:57 Binning and Hundal reflect on what lead Vancouver Sath to discontinue theatrical performances in the mid 1990’s. Binning and Hundal state how they are both still very involved in publishing literary works but no longer perform theatrical works. Binning and Hundal describe some of their literary works and projects that they’ve been involved in and also reflect on and describe the current theatre scene in the South Asian community. Hundal conveys that even though they no longer call themselves “Vancouver Sath” they continue to enjoy working as a collective discussing literary works and ideas.
- History
- Interviewees' biographies: Dr. Sadhu Binning was born on May 10, 1947 to mother Gurmej Kaur and father Jeet Singh Binning. Due to lack of proper records management in India at the time of his birth, it is believed that he was actually born sometime in December of 1947. He grew up alongside two brothers and one sister in a village located in Kapurthala, Punjab. Dr. Binning attended secondary school in the nearby city of Phagwara, Punjab although he did not complete his education here. Throughout his childhood, he enjoyed reading both Punjabi and Hindi novels and learned how to read Urdu as well. Dr. Binning’s uncle, Dhana Singh immigrated to Canada in 1933 and returned to India in 1953. When Dhana Singh returned to Canada in 1957, he sponsored Dr. Binning’s father, Jeet Singh Binning to immigrate. Dhana Singh co-owned a few saw mills in British Columbia and also worked in the truck driving industry. Dr. Binning remembers that some people who had lived in Canada would visit their village and that they appeared to be strong and healthy and looked happy. He also noticed that they would eat meat, so whenever they would visit there would be meat available. In 1967, when he was nineteen and a half years old, Dr. Binning immigrated Canada to join his father. He recalls his father and uncle and a friend arriving at the airport to pick him up. During his first few days, Dr. Binning made the decision to remove his turban and beard upon receiving advice from his uncle. Dr. Binning first obtained work on a farm in Abbotsford, working alongside his mother. While working, Dr. Binning also attended English classes in Vancouver. Dr. Binning’s Uncle Dhana Singh worked in a Vancouver saw mill and tried to help find work for his nephew but was unsuccessful. Dr. Binning soon found work at a saw mill in Avola and worked there until the end of the summer until a friend helped find him work in a saw mill in North Vancouver. During his free time, he enjoyed camping with friends. In 1970, Dr. Binning left the saw mill after obtaining a job at the post office. The post office offered lower wages than working at the mill but Dr. Binning believed that he would become more educated working here. While working as a postman, Dr. Binning recalls facing a lot of discrimination and racism and was often referred to as a ‘Paki’ multiple times a day. In 1973, Dr. Binning married Jagish Sihota. Sadhu and Jagdish originated from nearby villages in India and met each other in Canada. Dr. Binning’s wife, Jagdish worked at the Royal Bank of Canada for thirty years until her retirement. While working, she also looked after the household and their son and daughter. Jagdish also handwrote a magazine, “Watno Dur" (English translation: ‘away from homeland’) which was distributed in the community. In 1976, Dr. Binning became the editor of the magazine and the name was later changed to “Watan’ as they had accepted their new homeland of Canada. While working at the post office, Dr. Binning also attended night school starting in eighth grade. After receiving his high school diploma, he was accepted to Simon Fraser University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Anthropology and Sociology and in 1986 he obtained a Masters degree from Simon Fraser University. While attending university, Dr. Binning was very active within the community and wanted to work to improve society. He first thought that he would return to India to contribute and improve rights in his homeland but upon seeing the prevalence of the movements in Canada, he realized that work needed to be done here too. In 1983, Dr. Binning became a founding member and contributor to a theatrical collective known as “Vancouver Sath”. The theatrical group produced plays that represented societal issues and were invited to perform at multiple conferences throughout British Columbia and Canada. The group focused and acknowledged the many issues in Punjab and in Canada. One of the plays that the group produced focused on the exploitation of Punjabi women who worked on farms in Canada. Dr. Binning continued to be involved as an integral member of Vancouver Sath until 1995. Over the years, Dr. Binning has strongly lobbied for Punjabi language education and between 1988 and 2008 he worked as Punjabi instructor at the University of British Columbia. He first worked as a teaching assistant at UBC under Dr. Harjot Oberoi and due to low wages, he simultaneously worked at the Post Office. In 2019, Dr. Binning received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from UBC in recognition of his work. Since 1973, Dr. Binning has lived in Burnaby and has resided in the same home that he and his wife purchased in 1987. In his free time, he enjoys cycling, watercolour painting, travelling abroad and going on road trips. Suhkwant Hundal is a founding member in the group known as Vancouver Sath and has spent a lot of time in Burnaby rehearsing and writing plays. Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal co-wrote the Vancouver Sath's first play, "Picket-Line" and many others. This play was staged in November 1984. He's authored and edited pieces for the various newsletters and magazines including "Watno Dur" and "Watan". Through the 1980's and early 1990's Hundal has been active in South Asian advocacy in Burnaby and the Lower Mainland. In his retirement years, Hundal has been a lecturer on Punjabi language at the University of British Columbia in the Department of Asian Studies. 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
- Occupations - Writers
- Organizations
- Organizations - Unions
- Migration
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Performances - Dramatic Performances
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Discrimination
- Social Issues - Racism
- Names
- Vancouver Sath
- Binning, Dr. Sadhu
- Hundal, Sukhwant
- Dhami, Sadhu Singh
- Pritam, Amrita
- Rampuri, Gurcharan
- Tut, Mukhan
- Thobani, Sunera
- Hoss Mushroom Farm
- Deol, Jeevan
- Dulai, Phinder
- Dhillon, Sital
- Bhangoo, Bhavna
- Rai, Gurmail
- Punjabi Lekhak Manch
- Di Awaz, Samay
- Johal, Balinder
- Sara, Amanpal
- United Farm Workers Union
- Canadian Farmworkers Union
- Responsibility
- Binks, James
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.7
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- 1967-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available on request
Audio Tracks
Interview with Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal, 1967-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
Interview with Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal, 1967-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0007_003.mp3
Interview with Samuel Nalliah and Ruth (Angela) Nalliah
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19604
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1949-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (68 min., 6 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (68 min., 7 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Samuel Nalliah and Ruth (Angela) Nalliah conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks. 00:00:00 - 00:13:30 Interview opens with introductions. Samuel (Sam) and Angela Nalliah provide biographical details including their p…
- 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) (68 min., 6 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (68 min., 7 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: James Binks Interviewees: Samuel Nalliah and Ruth (Angela) Nalliah Location of Interview: Nalliah family home Interview Date: May 29, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 68 min., 6 sec. Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby Photograph information: Ruth (Angela) Nalliah with husband Samuel Nalliah WARNING: Some of the content discussed in this interview (00:40:58 – 00:57:31) regarding the Tamil genocide may be upsetting to some people.
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Samuel Nalliah and Ruth (Angela) Nalliah conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks. 00:00:00 - 00:13:30 Interview opens with introductions. Samuel (Sam) and Angela Nalliah provide biographical details including their parentage, place of birth (Sri Lanka), spoken language and education. Sam Nalliah shares details on his education while living in Sri Lanka, his later education in Wales where he obtained a Master’s Degree in Computer Science and his migration to Halifax in 1978 after obtaining a job at Dalhousie University as a systems analyst. Sam conveys how he decided to relocate from Halifax to Vancouver in 1986 and started his employment with BC Tel. Angela Nalliah shares details on her education and employment after immigrating to Canada from Sri Lanka in 1986. Angela conveys how she first lived in Ottawa, moved to Toronto in 1989 where she began working for TD bank and moved to Vancouver in 1999. 00:13:31 – 00:20:03 Sam Nalliah talks about how he and his wife Angela first met and married in 1999 and moved to Vancouver. Sam shares information on where his other family members immigrated to and why he decided to immigrate to Canada. Angela shares information on other members of her family who immigrated to Canada before her and how her uncle sponsored them all to come. 00:20:04 – 00:29:30 Sam provides further details regarding his family make up including; his first wife, his daughters (born in 1983 and 1985), his step daughter (born in 1991) and his youngest daughter (born in 2000). Sam tells how he worked as a Systems and Operations Manager at Shaughnessy Hospital and later at BC Hydro. Sam provides locations of homes that they lived in Burnaby and Vancouver. Sam and Angela describe what they liked about living in Burnaby, where their daughter attended school and where they did their shopping. 00:29:31 – 00:32:11 Angela talks about working for Prospera Credit Union from 2003 after TD bank downsized. Sam describes how they rented out their house in Vancouver and lived in a rental home in Burnaby that was owned by the City of Burnaby. Sam and Angela recollect the time period that they lived in Burnaby and Vancouver before deciding to move to Surrey in 2015. 00:32:12 – 00:35:59 Sam and Angela provide details regarding their daughter’s post-secondary education and careers. Angela talks about her social activities, volunteer work and involvement with the Thamil Cultural Society of British Columbia, the Women’s Network as well as the Westminster Bible Chapel Church in Burnaby and the Green Timbers Evangelical Covenant Church in Surrey. 00:36:00 – 00:40:57 Sam recalls hearing Prime Minster Pierre Elliott Trudeau speak about the Charter of Rights and Freedoms at Dalhousie University and the effect that his speech made on him. Sam talks about joining the National Democratic Party when Peter Julian was elected as a Member of Parliament for Burnaby. 00:40:58 – 00:57:31 (WARNING: Some of the content discussed in this portion of the interview may be upsetting to some people) Sam and Angela speak about their involvement with the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC). Angela describes the brutal violence that she witnessed while living in Sri Lanka during the Anti-Tamil state sponsored genocide in the 1980’s. Sam and Angela recollect and discuss their views and actions pertaining to the MV Sun Sea incident where a Thai cargo ship carrying Sri Lankan Tamil refugees to British Columbia were identified as terrorists by the Canadian Government and held in detention facilities. 00:57:32 – 01:08:07 Sam reflects on what he likes about Burnaby. Angela and Sam talk about Hindu temples attended by many Tamil and Sri Lankan people living in Burnaby and the lower mainland. Angela talks about the many cultural events and celebrations that are celebrated within the Tamil and Sri Lankan community including the Pongal Festival. Angela and Sam reflect on how grateful they are to be residents of Canada.
- History
- Interviewees biographies: Samuel (Sam) Nalliah was born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka in 1949. Sam immigrated to Halifax in 1977 after obtaining a position as a systems analyst at Dalhousie University. In 1986, Sam sponsored his parents to come to Canada. In 1986, after being introduced to the milder weather in Victoria, Sam decided to move to British Columbia. He moved to Burnaby in 1990 and began working for BC Tel in Burnaby. Following his job at BC Tel, Sam worked as a Systems and Operations Manager at Shaughnessy Hospital and later at BC Hydro. Ruth (Angela) Nalliah was born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka in 1964 and immigrated to Canada in 1986. As a Tamil living in Sri Lanka in the 1980’s Angela witnessed first hand the brutal violence during the Anti-Tamil state sponsored genocide. In 1986 Angela was relieved to be able to immigrate to Canada after being sponsored by her uncle. Angela first lived and worked in Ottawa and Toronto before marrying Samuel Nalliah in Ottawa in 1999 and the couple moved to Burnaby. Angela worked for TD bank in both Toronto and Vancouver until it downsized in 2003 and she began working for Prospero Credit Union. While living in Burnaby, Angela attended the Westminster Bible Chapel and after moving to Surrey she became a member of the Green Timbers Evangelical Covenant Church. Sam and Angela Nalliah have four daughters and since moving to British Columbia they’ve lived in Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey. Both Sam and Angela are involved with the Tamil Cultural Association of British Columbia and the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) as well as participates in Sri Lankan and Tamil community cultural events. 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
- Education
- Events - Festivals
- Government
- Government - Federal Government
- Migration
- Occupations
- Organizations - Political Parties
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Religions
- Religions - Christianity
- Religions - Hinduism
- Rights
- Rights - Human Rights
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Social Issues - Discrimination
- Names
- Nalliah, Ruth "Angela"
- Nalliah, Samuel "Sam"
- Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC)
- Westminster Bible Chapel
- Thamil Cultural Society of British Columbia (TCSBC)
- Responsibility
- Binks, James
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.8
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- 1949-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available upon request - contact Burnaby Village Museum
Images
Audio Tracks
Interview with Samuel Nalliah and Ruth (Angela) Nalliah, 1949-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
Interview with Samuel Nalliah and Ruth (Angela) Nalliah, 1949-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0008_003.mp3