Narrow Results By
Decade
- 2020s 28
- 2010s 62
- 2000s 64
- 1990s
- 1980s 150
- 1970s 154
- 1960s 141
- 1950s 124
- 1940s 111
- 1930s 150
- 1920s 89
- 1910s 57
- 1900s 31
- 1890s 19
- 1880s 8
- 1870s 5
- 1860s
- 1850s 3
- 1840s 2
- 1830s 2
- 1820s 2
- 1810s 3
- 1800s 3
- 1790s 3
- 1780s 3
- 1770s 3
- 1760s 3
- 1750s 3
- 1740s 3
- 1730s 3
- 1720s 3
- 1710s 3
- 1700s 3
- 1690s 3
- 1680s 3
- 1670s 2
- 1660s 2
- 1650s 2
- 1640s 2
- 1630s 2
- 1620s 2
- 1610s 2
- 1600s 2
- 1590s 1
- 1580s 1
- 1570s 1
- 1560s 1
- 1550s 1
- 1540s 1
- 1530s 1
- 1520s 1
- 1510s 1
- 1500s 1
- 1490s 1
- 1480s 1
Interview with Shushma Datt and Sudhir Datta
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19611
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1946- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 20 Jan. 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (90 min., 21 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (90 min., 4 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Shushma Datt and her son, Sudhir Datta conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Curator, Jane Lemke and Anushay Malik. 00:00 – 12:47 Interview opens with introductions. Shushma Datt shares information about; where she’s lived in Burnaby sin…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (90 min., 21 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (90 min., 4 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewers: Jane Lemke and Anushay Malik Interviewees: Shushma Datt and Sudhir Datta Location of Interview: Spice Radio, Norland Avenue, Burnaby Interview Date: January 20, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:30:21 Digital master recordings (wav) were edited into one recording and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Shushma Datt and her son, Sudhir Datta conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Curator, Jane Lemke and Anushay Malik. 00:00 – 12:47 Interview opens with introductions. Shushma Datt shares information about; where she’s lived in Burnaby since immigrating in 1972 and her arranged marriage which lead her to immigrate to Canada. Datt provides detailed information about her family background in Kenya and her parent’s decision to move their family from Kenya to India in the 1960s and then to England in the 1965. Datt describes her family’s experiences living in Kenya and India in the 1960s and provides some context on the political unrest that happened in Kenya which lead her family to leave. 12:48 - 28:07 Datt talks about her time living in England and shares information on her family life and her employment experiences. Datt conveys an experience from her childhood that inspired her to become a broadcaster and shares her experiences working for the BBC oversees service in England (1965-1972). Datt describes some of the articles that she's written for various publications and the people that she's interviewed. Datt highlights a particular experience about writing a critical review about the controversial design on Jimi Hendrix’s album “Axis: Bold as Love” that depicted Hindu religious iconography. 28:09 – 34:47 Datt and Datta provide further details about Datt's arranged marriage which lead her to immigrate to Canada in 1972 and to work as a broadcaster in Canada. Datt recalls her experiences working as a radio station operator for CHQM, a radio broadcaster for CJVB and starting her own South Asian radio station Rim Jhim in 1987. 34:48 – 40:01 Datt and Datta share information on where they’ve lived in Vancouver and Burnaby. Datt and Datta recall pivotal family life events that impacted their lives in 1974. 40:02 – 45:53 Datt recalls the travel trunks and contents that she and her family brought with them when they left Nairobi. Datt describes the letters that her parents wrote. Datt and Datta describe photos of their family and convey the impacts to their family after two of Datt’s brothers died at 24 years of age. 45:54 – 50:56 Interview continues chronologically from 1974, after Datt’s son, Sudhir Datta was born. Datt describes how she had to work hard to help pay her bills and support her family. Datta describes his childhood growing up as a South Asian child living and attending school in Burnaby (1979-1992). Datt and Datta recall Datt’s graduation ceremony and Datta’s Order of British Columbia awards ceremony. 50:57 – 58:03 Datt and Datta talk about food and cooking and where they’ve shopped for traditional food supplies. Datta explains her family lineage as Hindus who eat meat and how she’s been a vegetarian for over 30 years. Datt and Datta share stories about Datt’s mother Leela Datta. 58:04 – 1:05:38 Both Datt and Datta reflect on what’s it’s been like living as South Asians in Burnaby. Datt conveys the message that she got from her mom, Leela Datta "not to assimilate but to integrate". They both reflect on how the ethnic and cultural diversity of neighbourhoods has changed over time and Datt describes his experiences as a student in Burnaby. 1:05:39 – 1:16:51 Datt and Datta talk about the role of religion in their lives, describe the purpose of Radio Rim Jhim and reflect on how the South Asian community has grown in Metro Vancouver and the disparities created within. They both recall how their lives were threatened and impacted in 1984 following an interview that Datt did with Indira Ghandhi. Datt talks about the origins of her and her son’s surnames. 1:16:52 – 1:26:11 Datt and Datta talk about and reflect on their own experiences of racism and discrimination. Datt talks about Spice Radio’s annual campaign “Raise your hands against Racism”. Datt and Datta provide background on the radio stations Rim Jhim and Spice Radio including; how they got started, their unbiased approach to broadcast content and their experiences in the complex realm of broadcasting a multi-cultural radio station. 1:26:12 – 1:30:04 In closing, Datt and Datta convey what they think that younger generations of South Asian Canadians should understand about the South Asian Community in British Columbia.
- History
- Interviewees biographies: Shushma Datt was born in Nairobi, Kenya in 1946 and is the second eldest of six children. In the 1960s during the unrest in Kenya, her family moved to India. After about nine months of living in India, Datt's family decided to return to Kenya, leaving Datt and her brother to complete their education in India. While living in India, Datt studied at Delhi University and worked at the Indian newspaper. In 1965, Datt, her parents and five siblings decided to leave Kenya and immigrated to England. While living in England, Datt got work as a broadcaster with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) overseas service, producing her first program in 1969. During her time with the BBC, Datt has interviewed many influential artists including Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles as well as the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. In 1972, Datt immigrated to Canada and settled in Burnaby. In late 1973, Datt sponsored her mother who joined her in Burnaby. Datt joined the CJVB radio station in Vancouver working as the Punjabi and Hindi language broadcaster. Datt worked here until 1978 when she started her own radio station, Radio Rim Jhim. In 2005, Datt obtained her own AM radio band license for a multicultural radio station RJ1200 which was later rebranded "Spice Radio". In 2015, Datt launched Spice Radio's annual "Hands Against Racism" campaign which has won awards from the Government of British Columbia and the B.C. Association of Broadcasters. Datt has also been a producer for Omni TV and Shaw TV and was the first woman to obtain a broadcasting license from the Canadian Radio- Television Telecommunications Commission. In 1992, Shushma Datt was awarded the Order of British Columbia and is also the recipient of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal. Datt has been listed by the Vancouver Sun newspaper as among the 100 "most influential Indo-Canadians" and has been recognized by the Royal British Columbia Museum as one of the 150 "most influential British Columbians". Sudhir Datta is the only child of Sushma Datt and was born in Burnaby. Datta graduated with a computer science degree from Capilano University in 1995. Datta is the Vice President of Media Broadcasting (founded in 1984) creating television and radio programming for Canada's South Asian Community and has been the General Manager and Program Director of Spice Radio since 2006. Datta is also the author of many articles highlighting the South Asian community in Vancouver. Interviewers biographies: Anushay Malik is labor historian with a geographical focus on South Asia. Anushay studied at the University of London and was a research fellow at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In 2014, Anushay moved back to her native Pakistan and joined Lahore University of Management Services as an Assistant Professor. In 2023, Anushay is a visiting scholar at Simon Fraser University and lives in Burnaby with her family. Anushay was a co-curator of the Burnaby Village Museum exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”. Jane Lemke has worked in various museums in the Lower Mainland and has been the Curator at Burnaby Village Museum since 2019. Her educational background includes a Master of Arts degree in History and a Master of Museum Studies degree. Her research focus has been on trauma and memory and its role in shaping Canadian identity. She loves sharing memories and stories of Burnaby with the public. Jane sits on the Council of the BC Museums Association and is the Chair of the BC Museums Association Professional Development and Education Committee.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Migration
- Occupations - Broadcasters
- Occupations - Entrepreneurs
- Occupations - Journalists
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Radio Stations
- Religions
- Religions - Hinduism
- Religions - Sikhism
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Responsibility
- Malik, Anushay
- Lemke, Jane
- Accession Code
- BV023.1.3
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1946- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 20 Jan. 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcript available upon request
Audio Tracks
Interview with Shushma Datt and Sudhir Datta, [1946- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 20 Jan. 2023
Interview with Shushma Datt and Sudhir Datta, [1946- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 20 Jan. 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0001_0003_003.mp3Interview with Lama Tenzin Sherpa and Lama Sue Salter
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19637
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1977-2023] (interview content), interviewed 31 Jul. 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (wav) (65 min., 30 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (65 min., 9 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Lama Tenzin Sherpa and Lama Sue Salter conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks on July 31 2023. 00:00:00 - 00:07:59 Interview opens with introductions. Lama Tenzin Sherpa provides biographical details about himself …
- 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
- 1 sound recording (wav) (65 min., 30 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (65 min., 9 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: James Binks Interviewees: Lama Tenzin Sherpa and Lama Sue (Suzanne Salter) Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: July 31, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:05:30 Sound recording (wav) was converted to mp3 format for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Lama Tenzin Sherpa and Lama Sue Salter conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks on July 31 2023. 00:00:00 - 00:07:59 Interview opens with introductions. Lama Tenzin Sherpa provides biographical details about himself and his family life in Nepal and explains how his father sent him to the Sonada Monastery in India to become a monk in 1989 and how he took a vow to become a monk in 1992. He recalls his early years of living at the monastery. 00:08:00 - 00:18:38 Lama Tenzin recalls how he came to be a monk at the Salugara Monastery and describes the teachings and skills that he learned there including making tormas and playing traditional musical instruments. Lama Tenzin describes his three year retreat in Kalimpong, India 2008-2012 and how he became Lama Tenzin. Lama Sue Salter assists Lama Tenzin in telling his story. 00:18:39 - 00:25:10 Lama Tenzin talks about returning to the Sonada Monastery after completing his three year retreat and coming to Canada in 2015 to begin his work as a Lama at the Kagyu Kunkhyab Chuling centre (KKC) in Burnaby as well as the retreat centre on Salt Spring Island. 00:25:11 - 00:32:38 Lama Tenzin talks about learning English after arriving in Canada and finding his way around the city as a new immigrant. 00:32:59 - 00:43:13 Lama Susan Salter talks about meeting Lama Tenzin, her involvement with the Kagyu Kunkhyab Chuling Centre and it’s history in Burnaby on Sidley Street since 1977. 00:43:14 - 00:53:52 Lama Tenzin and Lama Susan Salter describe daily and weekly practices at the Kagyu Kunkhyab Chuling Centre in Burnaby, what a membership entails and types of educational programs offered at the centre. 00:53:53 - 00:59:23 Lama Tenzin and Lama Susan Salter talk about the location of their current centre in an apartment in Yale Town and retreat centre on Salt Spring Island and the challenges of finding affordable space for their centre. They reflect on the positive aspects of having their former centre location in Burnaby. 00:59:24 - 01:05:09 Lama Tenzin and Lama Susan Salter reflect on the future of the Kagyu Kunkhyab Chuling (KKC) and Kunzang Dechen Osel Ling (KDOL) meditation retreat centre on Salt Spring Island.
- History
- Interviewees' biographies: Lama Tenzin Sherpa was born in Nepal in 1977. When he was around 11 years old his father sent him to the Sonada Monastery (also known as sthe Samdrub Dhargay Choling Monastery) in West Bengal to begin his training to become a Tibetan Buddhist monk. In 1989, the same year that Kalu Rinpoche died, Lama Tenzin became a monk. He continued to live at the monastery for 20 years. In 2012, Lama Tenzin completed his three year retreat and took up various responsibilities at the Salagura Stupa Kunchab Chodey. In 2015, Lama Tenzin was invited to Canada as a resident teacher at the Tibetan Buddhist Dharma Centre “Kagyu Kunkhyab Chuling” (KKC) located at 4941 Sidley Street, Burnaby and the Niguma Meditation Centre's retreat centre Kunzang Dechen Osel Ling (KDOL) on Saltspring Island. Lama Sue Salter (Karma Lhamo) has been a student of Kalu Rinpoche since 1974. In 1980, she completed a three year retreat at the Palden Shangpa La Boulaye in France. She's served on the Board of Directors, as a retreat coordinator and a teacher in Tibetan at the Kagyu Kunkhyab Chuling and Kunzang Dechen Osel Ling (KDOL). Lama Sue also worked for years as a registered nurse and registered social worker and retired in 2018. 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
- Religions - Buddhism
- Buildings - Religious - Monasteries
- Migration
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Names
- Sherpa, Lama Tenzin
- Salter, Suzanne "Lama Sue"
- Kagyu Kunkhyab Chuling "KKC"
- Rinpoche, Lama Kalu
- Rinpoche, Lama Kyabje Kalu "Kalu Rinpoche"
- Kunzang Dechen Osel Ling "KDOL"
- Responsibility
- Binks, James
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.15
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1977-2023] (interview content), interviewed 31 Jul. 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available
Images
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Lama Tenzin Sherpa and Lama Sue Salter, [1977-2023] (interview content), interviewed 31 Jul. 2023
Interview with Lama Tenzin Sherpa and Lama Sue Salter, [1977-2023] (interview content), interviewed 31 Jul. 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0015_002.mp3Interview with Leonard Evenden and Allen Seager by Kathy Bossort November 18, 2015 - Track 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory621
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1925-2015
- Length
- 0:12:50
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Dr. Evenden and Dr. Seager’s description of their early years at Simon Fraser University. They talk about the challenges to commuting up and down Burnaby Mountain and the solutions people used, particularly hitchhiking. Dr. Seager talks about living in Monteci…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Dr. Evenden and Dr. Seager’s description of their early years at Simon Fraser University. They talk about the challenges to commuting up and down Burnaby Mountain and the solutions people used, particularly hitchhiking. Dr. Seager talks about living in Montecito in the 1980s. Dr. Evenden talks about the early use of Burnaby Mountain and its undeveloped state when the site for SFU was proposed in 1963.
- Date Range
- 1925-2015
- Length
- 0:12:50
- Names
- Simon Fraser University
- Subjects
- Education
- Transportation
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Sperling-Broadway 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 one of interview with Dr. Leonard Evenden and Dr. Allen Seager
Track one 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_1.mp3Interview with Leonard Evenden and Allen Seager by Kathy Bossort November 18, 2015 - Track 3
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory623
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1963-2015
- Length
- 0:17:29
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Dr. Evenden and Dr. Seager’s discussion about the relationship between Simon Fraser University and the City of Burnaby, and the origins and development of the dispute over land ownership and control on Burnaby Mountain, and factors that lead to the dispute's r…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Dr. Evenden and Dr. Seager’s discussion about the relationship between Simon Fraser University and the City of Burnaby, and the origins and development of the dispute over land ownership and control on Burnaby Mountain, and factors that lead to the dispute's resolution. They also talk about the challenges of SFU’s site for access, housing, and establishing a campus community.
- Date Range
- 1963-2015
- Length
- 0:17:29
- Names
- Simon Fraser University
- Harcourt, Mike
- Jones, J. Barry
- Burnaby Citizens Association
- Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society
- Subjects
- Geographic Features - Parks
- Government
- Land
- 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 three of interview with Dr. Leonard Evenden and Dr. Allen Seager
Track three 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_3.mp3Interview with Leonard Evenden and Allen Seager by Kathy Bossort November 18, 2015 - Track 4
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory624
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1965-2015
- Length
- 0:13:31
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Dr. Evenden and Dr. Seager’s description of the relationship of SFU’s faculty and administration to Burnaby Mountain’s environment, including stewardship of the land, academic research related to the mountain, and the development of UniverCity. Dr. Evenden ta…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Dr. Evenden and Dr. Seager’s description of the relationship of SFU’s faculty and administration to Burnaby Mountain’s environment, including stewardship of the land, academic research related to the mountain, and the development of UniverCity. Dr. Evenden talks about Dr. Colin Crampton’s writings about the natural history of Burnaby Mountain, and Dr. Seager references the controversy over the target ranges on the mountain and Dr. Stephen Collis’ work, as examples of faculty involvement in local environmental issues.
- Date Range
- 1965-2015
- Length
- 0:13:31
- Names
- Simon Fraser University
- UniverCity
- Crampton, Colin
- Collis, Stephen
- Mauser, Gary A.
- Barnet Rifle Club
- Trans Mountain Oil Pipeline Company
- 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 four of interview with Dr. Leonard Evenden and Dr. Allen Seager
Track four 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_4.mp3Interview with Leonard Evenden and Allen Seager by Kathy Bossort November 18, 2015 - Track 5
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory625
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1965-2015
- Length
- 0:11:43
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Dr. Evenden and Dr. Seager’s description of proposed ideas for improving access to SFU’s campus on Burnaby Mountain, stories about weather related events on the mountain, and whether UniverCity will solve the problem of SFU’s isolation. Dr. Evenden mentions th…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Dr. Evenden and Dr. Seager’s description of proposed ideas for improving access to SFU’s campus on Burnaby Mountain, stories about weather related events on the mountain, and whether UniverCity will solve the problem of SFU’s isolation. Dr. Evenden mentions the ideas of Dennis Roberts and Peter Knowlden.
- Date Range
- 1965-2015
- Length
- 0:11:43
- Subjects
- Transportation
- 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 five of interview with Dr. Leonard Evenden and Dr. Allen Seager
Track five 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_5.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 "The Bollywood Boyz", Harvinder Sihra and Gurvinder Sihra
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19608
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1970-2023] (interview content), interviewed 8 Jul. 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (84 min., 14 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (62 min., 3 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with "The Bollywood Boyz", Harvinder Sihra and Gurvinder Sihra conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, Rajdeep. 00:00:00 – 00:05:26 Gurvinder “Gurv” Sihra and brother Harvinder “Harv’ Sihra introduce themselves, providing details on …
- 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) (84 min., 14 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (62 min., 3 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Rajdeep Interviewees: "The Bollywood Boyz", Harvinder Sihra and Gurvinder Sihra Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: July 8, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:02:03 min 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 credit: World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with "The Bollywood Boyz", Harvinder Sihra and Gurvinder Sihra conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, Rajdeep. 00:00:00 – 00:05:26 Gurvinder “Gurv” Sihra and brother Harvinder “Harv’ Sihra introduce themselves, providing details on where they were born and grew up (in Burnaby), names of their parents and provide details on their family history. They describe how their grandparents and other relatives continued to live in Punjab after their father and mother immigrated to Canada in the 1970’s, recall the reasons their parents decided to immigrate and details of their lives before and after arriving in Canada. 00:05:27 – 00:06:46 Gurvinder and Harvinder describe some of their experiences travelling through Vancouver airport and compare their experiences with their mother’s own experiences. Gurvinder and Harvinder describe the layout of the airport and how customs and immigration has changed over time. 00:06:47 – 00:09:21 Gurvinder and Harvinder provide details about their mother, Parveen Sihra. They share information regarding her education in India and how she was unable to get work related to her degree in biology after immigrating to Canada. They convey how she worked in the Burnaby City Hall cafeteria in the 1990’s and how she worked part time in order to take care of her children. They share how their parents were proud Canadians participating in events inside and outside the South Asian community and were both fluent in English but often spoke Punjabi at home. 00:09:22 – 00:16:06 Gurvinder and Harvinder recall their childhood experiences growing up in Burnaby. They talk about the sports that they were involved with including hockey and Taekwondo, family vacations spent travelling to India and their experiences attending Marlborough Elementary School and Moscrop Secondary School.They describe how they first became interested in watching wrestling and trying it out on their own in their family home. Gurvinder and Harvinder recall their own experiences of discrimination while growing up and playing sports. 00:16:07 – 00:27:37 Gurvinder and Harvinder reflect and recall events that lead them to their dream of becoming professional wrestlers. They talk about pivotal events including attending their first live wresting event at GM Place with their father in 1996, beginning their training in Calgary in 2004, travelling across the country to participate in minor wrestling events, wrestling in Rogers Arena in 2017 and 2020 and getting their first call to join WWE. They talk about the support that they’ve had along the way to getting them where they are today and comment on why they want to be wrestlers in the WWE. 00:27:38 – 00:29:25 Gurvinder and Harvinder provide background information on their various wrestling personas and names in the world of professional wrestling including the Singh Brothers and the Bollywood Boyz. 00:29:26 – 00:38:43 Gurvinder and Harvinder talk about their experiences wrestling in India and the support and expectations of family members in becoming successful. Gurvinder and Harvinder recall and reflect on the experience of being fired from the WWE when cutbacks were made during the COVID pandemic. 00:38:44 – 00:42:53 Gurvinder and Harvinder describe what a day in their lives looks like now. They talk about how they’re still very passionate and focused on their wrestling careers and describe their experiences of having support and enthusiasm from fans and their parents. They talk about travelling across the country to particpate in different wrestling events. 00:42:54 – 00:47:18 Gurvinder and Harvinder talk about their training regimen including exercise and diet and describe areas in Burnaby where they like to train in gyms and the outdoors. 00:47:19 – 00:49:49 Gurvinder and Harvinder talk about neighbourhoods in Burnaby including Metrotown and Deer Lake and how they’ve seen them change over the years. 00:49:50 – 00:54:27 Gurvinder and Harvinder talk about their highest and lowest points in their wrestling careers, highlighting specific events. They talk about the physical stamina it takes for wrestling and compare their sport with the sport of Kabaddi (a contact team sport between two teams originating in India). 00:54:28 – 00:59:01 Gurvinder and Harvinder reflect on what toughness means to them, and what keeps them motivated to do what they do. 00:59:02 – 01:01:31 Gurvinder and Harvinder impart their words of wisdom to younger kids in chasing their passions and dreams and talk about their favourite Bollywood films and actors.
- History
- Interviewees' biographies: The Bollywood Boyz are a Canadian professional wrestling tag team composed of brothers Gurvinder "Gurv" Sihra (born in 1984) and Harvinder "Harv" Sihra (born in 1987). The pair are best known for their time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where Gurvinder and Harvinder performed under the ring names Sunil Singh and Samir Singh. They were both born and raised in Burnaby by their parents Harjeet and Parveen Sihra and attended Moscrop Secondary School. Gurvinder graduated from Douglas College where he studied criminology and has worked in loss prevention and has a third degree black belt in Taekwondo. Harvinder attended Douglas College with studies in history and has worked as a model and an actor. Both Gurvinder and Harvinder Sihra are Sikhs. Interviewer biography: Rajdeep was born and raised in the Lower Mainland and is of Punjabi (South Asian) descent. She has an Associate of Arts degree in Asian Studies from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia. She is a student in the Restoration of Natural Systems program at the University of Victoria. Rajdeep works at Simon Fraser University as a Program Assistant and as a researcher with the City of Burnaby. At Burnaby Village Museum, Rajdeep contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Education
- Migration
- Pandemics - COVID-19
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Religions - Sikhism
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Discrimination
- Social Issues - Racism
- Sports
- Sports - Martial Arts
- Sports - Wrestling
- Sports - Ice Hockey
- Travel
- Names
- The Bollywood Boyz
- Sihra, Guvinder "Gurv"
- Sihra, Harvinder "Harv"
- Sihra, Harjeet
- Sihra, Parveen
- World Wrestling Entertainment "WWE"
- Moscrop Secondary School
- Marlborough Elementary School
- Metrotown
- Responsibility
- Rajdeep
- Geographic Access
- Deer Lake Park
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.12
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1970-2023] (interview content), interviewed 8 Jul. 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Photographer
- World Wrestling Entertainment "WWE"
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available upon request - contact Burnaby Village Museum
Images
Audio Tracks
Interview with
Interview with William J. Copeland by Rod Fowler February 18, 1990 - Track 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory435
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1960-1990
- Length
- 00:03:16
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Bill Copeland's involvement in the International Association of Fire Fighters union.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Bill Copeland's involvement in the International Association of Fire Fighters union.
- Date Range
- 1960-1990
- Photo Info
- Mayor Bill Copeland cutting the ribbon for the opening of the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts accompanied by Jack and Doris Shadbolt and Councillors Doug Drummond and Derek Corrigan, 1995. Item no. 535-0067
- Length
- 00:03:16
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- February 18, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with former Burnaby Mayor William J. Copeland conducted by Rod Fowler. Bill Copeland 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 Bill Copeland’s education, career and experience as a Burnaby firefighter from 1955 to 1987, and his work for the union International Association of Fire Fighters. He talks about his early family life in Burnaby and Vancouver, war service, training with the Federal Fire Service, the organizations he has belonged to, and the careers of his three children. He briefly talks about Burnaby politics and his unexpected election to Mayor of Burnaby. Major themes of the interview, described by track: Track 1: Organizations - Unions; Public Services - Fire Protection; International Association of Fire Fighters; Track 2: Public Services - Fire Protection; Track 3: Elections; Track 4: family history and education; Track 5: Public Services - Fire Protection; Track 6: Elections
- Biographical Notes
- William John (Bill) Copeland (1927-2002) was born in Vancouver May 19, 1927. As a young child he lived with his parents on Southwood Street in South Burnaby on a chicken ranch. Bill’s father was a miner and was often away from home. The family moved to Pioneer Mines at Bridge River for a few years and then moved back to Vancouver in 1941 when his father contracted silicosis. Bill served in the navy for about a year near the end of WWII, was in the Canadian Merchant Marine and worked as a pipe fitter, before beginning his career as a fire fighter. He trained with the Federal Fire Service and worked two years at the Wireless Station in Delta. In 1955 he started work as Fire Fighter No. 53 in Burnaby, retiring 33 years later in 1987. Most of his career was spent at the Control Station or Number 1 Firehall, first located at Wiilingdon and Hastings (now No.5 Station) and later on Sperling near Canada Way. Bill worked as a first aid instructor, eventually moving into the training office, and retired as assistant chief. In 1987, shortly after retiring, Bill was asked to run for Mayor for the Burnaby Citizens Association (BCA). Much to his surprise he won. He served with distinction for three terms (1987-1996). Bill, his wife Ruth, and their three children, Doug and Dan (both firefighters) and Emily (a teacher), lived in North Burnaby on Cliff Avenue, the family home for about 35 years. Bill was active in many organizations including the Cliff Avenue soccer organization, St. John Ambulance, Burnaby Red Cross, and CNIB, among others. He began representing firefighters locally in the International Association of Fire Fighters in the early 1960s, eventually becoming President of the provincial association and then Vice President of the 6th District representing Western Canada.
- Total Tracks
- 6
- Total Length
- 0:25:35
- Interviewee Name
- Copeland, William J
- 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 business computerization 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 one of interview with William J. Copeland
Track one of interview with William J. Copeland
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-013/MSS187-013_Track_1.mp3Interview with William J. Copeland by Rod Fowler February 18, 1990 - Track 2
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory436
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1953-1990
- Length
- 00:02:44
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Bill Copeland's training as a firefighter in the Federal Fire Service at the Wireless Station in Delta, and his career in Burnaby, mainly at Control Station.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Bill Copeland's training as a firefighter in the Federal Fire Service at the Wireless Station in Delta, and his career in Burnaby, mainly at Control Station.
- Date Range
- 1953-1990
- Photo Info
- Mayor Bill Copeland cutting the ribbon for the opening of the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts accompanied by Jack and Doris Shadbolt and Councillors Doug Drummond and Derek Corrigan, 1995. Item no. 535-0067
- Length
- 00:02:44
- Subjects
- Public Services - Fire Protection
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- February 18, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with former Burnaby Mayor William J. Copeland conducted by Rod Fowler. Bill Copeland 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 Bill Copeland’s education, career and experience as a Burnaby firefighter from 1955 to 1987, and his work for the union International Association of Fire Fighters. He talks about his early family life in Burnaby and Vancouver, war service, training with the Federal Fire Service, the organizations he has belonged to, and the careers of his three children. He briefly talks about Burnaby politics and his unexpected election to Mayor of Burnaby. Major themes of the interview, described by track: Track 1: Organizations - Unions; Public Services - Fire Protection; International Association of Fire Fighters; Track 2: Public Services - Fire Protection; Track 3: Elections; Track 4: family history and education; Track 5: Public Services - Fire Protection; Track 6: Elections
- Biographical Notes
- William John (Bill) Copeland (1927-2002) was born in Vancouver May 19, 1927. As a young child he lived with his parents on Southwood Street in South Burnaby on a chicken ranch. Bill’s father was a miner and was often away from home. The family moved to Pioneer Mines at Bridge River for a few years and then moved back to Vancouver in 1941 when his father contracted silicosis. Bill served in the navy for about a year near the end of WWII, was in the Canadian Merchant Marine and worked as a pipe fitter, before beginning his career as a fire fighter. He trained with the Federal Fire Service and worked two years at the Wireless Station in Delta. In 1955 he started work as Fire Fighter No. 53 in Burnaby, retiring 33 years later in 1987. Most of his career was spent at the Control Station or Number 1 Firehall, first located at Wiilingdon and Hastings (now No.5 Station) and later on Sperling near Canada Way. Bill worked as a first aid instructor, eventually moving into the training office, and retired as assistant chief. In 1987, shortly after retiring, Bill was asked to run for Mayor for the Burnaby Citizens Association (BCA). Much to his surprise he won. He served with distinction for three terms (1987-1996). Bill, his wife Ruth, and their three children, Doug and Dan (both firefighters) and Emily (a teacher), lived in North Burnaby on Cliff Avenue, the family home for about 35 years. Bill was active in many organizations including the Cliff Avenue soccer organization, St. John Ambulance, Burnaby Red Cross, and CNIB, among others. He began representing firefighters locally in the International Association of Fire Fighters in the early 1960s, eventually becoming President of the provincial association and then Vice President of the 6th District representing Western Canada.
- Total Tracks
- 6
- Total Length
- 0:25:35
- Interviewee Name
- Copeland, William J
- 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 business computerization 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 William J. Copeland
Track two of interview with William J. Copeland
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-013/MSS187-013_Track_2.mp3Interview with William J. Copeland by Rod Fowler February 18, 1990 - Track 3
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory437
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1955-1990
- Length
- 00:04:32
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Bill Copeland's election to Mayor in 1987, attributing it to being well known through his work as a fire fighter and as a volunteer with various organizations such as the soccer club Cliff Avenue Union FC, Burnaby Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, CNIB, the firef…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Bill Copeland's election to Mayor in 1987, attributing it to being well known through his work as a fire fighter and as a volunteer with various organizations such as the soccer club Cliff Avenue Union FC, Burnaby Red Cross, St. John Ambulance, CNIB, the firefighters' union, among others
- Date Range
- 1955-1990
- Photo Info
- Mayor Bill Copeland cutting the ribbon for the opening of the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts accompanied by Jack and Doris Shadbolt and Councillors Doug Drummond and Derek Corrigan, 1995. Item no. 535-0067
- Length
- 00:04:32
- Subjects
- Elections
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- February 18, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with former Burnaby Mayor William J. Copeland conducted by Rod Fowler. Bill Copeland 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 Bill Copeland’s education, career and experience as a Burnaby firefighter from 1955 to 1987, and his work for the union International Association of Fire Fighters. He talks about his early family life in Burnaby and Vancouver, war service, training with the Federal Fire Service, the organizations he has belonged to, and the careers of his three children. He briefly talks about Burnaby politics and his unexpected election to Mayor of Burnaby. Major themes of the interview, described by track: Track 1: Organizations - Unions; Public Services - Fire Protection; International Association of Fire Fighters; Track 2: Public Services - Fire Protection; Track 3: Elections; Track 4: family history and education; Track 5: Public Services - Fire Protection; Track 6: Elections
- Biographical Notes
- William John (Bill) Copeland (1927-2002) was born in Vancouver May 19, 1927. As a young child he lived with his parents on Southwood Street in South Burnaby on a chicken ranch. Bill’s father was a miner and was often away from home. The family moved to Pioneer Mines at Bridge River for a few years and then moved back to Vancouver in 1941 when his father contracted silicosis. Bill served in the navy for about a year near the end of WWII, was in the Canadian Merchant Marine and worked as a pipe fitter, before beginning his career as a fire fighter. He trained with the Federal Fire Service and worked two years at the Wireless Station in Delta. In 1955 he started work as Fire Fighter No. 53 in Burnaby, retiring 33 years later in 1987. Most of his career was spent at the Control Station or Number 1 Firehall, first located at Wiilingdon and Hastings (now No.5 Station) and later on Sperling near Canada Way. Bill worked as a first aid instructor, eventually moving into the training office, and retired as assistant chief. In 1987, shortly after retiring, Bill was asked to run for Mayor for the Burnaby Citizens Association (BCA). Much to his surprise he won. He served with distinction for three terms (1987-1996). Bill, his wife Ruth, and their three children, Doug and Dan (both firefighters) and Emily (a teacher), lived in North Burnaby on Cliff Avenue, the family home for about 35 years. Bill was active in many organizations including the Cliff Avenue soccer organization, St. John Ambulance, Burnaby Red Cross, and CNIB, among others. He began representing firefighters locally in the International Association of Fire Fighters in the early 1960s, eventually becoming President of the provincial association and then Vice President of the 6th District representing Western Canada.
- Total Tracks
- 6
- Total Length
- 0:25:35
- Interviewee Name
- Copeland, William J
- 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 business computerization 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 three of interview with William J. Copeland
Track three of interview with William J. Copeland
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-013/MSS187-013_Track_3.mp3Interview with William J. Copeland by Rod Fowler February 18, 1990 - Track 4
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory438
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1927-1990
- Length
- 00:06:37
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Bill Copeland's childhood in Burnaby and Vancouver, his father's work as a miner, his war service, education, and his three children
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Bill Copeland's childhood in Burnaby and Vancouver, his father's work as a miner, his war service, education, and his three children
- Date Range
- 1927-1990
- Photo Info
- Mayor Bill Copeland cutting the ribbon for the opening of the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts accompanied by Jack and Doris Shadbolt and Councillors Doug Drummond and Derek Corrigan, 1995. Item no. 535-0067
- Length
- 00:06:37
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- February 18, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with former Burnaby Mayor William J. Copeland conducted by Rod Fowler. Bill Copeland 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 Bill Copeland’s education, career and experience as a Burnaby firefighter from 1955 to 1987, and his work for the union International Association of Fire Fighters. He talks about his early family life in Burnaby and Vancouver, war service, training with the Federal Fire Service, the organizations he has belonged to, and the careers of his three children. He briefly talks about Burnaby politics and his unexpected election to Mayor of Burnaby. Major themes of the interview, described by track: Track 1: Organizations - Unions; Public Services - Fire Protection; International Association of Fire Fighters; Track 2: Public Services - Fire Protection; Track 3: Elections; Track 4: family history and education; Track 5: Public Services - Fire Protection; Track 6: Elections
- Biographical Notes
- William John (Bill) Copeland (1927-2002) was born in Vancouver May 19, 1927. As a young child he lived with his parents on Southwood Street in South Burnaby on a chicken ranch. Bill’s father was a miner and was often away from home. The family moved to Pioneer Mines at Bridge River for a few years and then moved back to Vancouver in 1941 when his father contracted silicosis. Bill served in the navy for about a year near the end of WWII, was in the Canadian Merchant Marine and worked as a pipe fitter, before beginning his career as a fire fighter. He trained with the Federal Fire Service and worked two years at the Wireless Station in Delta. In 1955 he started work as Fire Fighter No. 53 in Burnaby, retiring 33 years later in 1987. Most of his career was spent at the Control Station or Number 1 Firehall, first located at Wiilingdon and Hastings (now No.5 Station) and later on Sperling near Canada Way. Bill worked as a first aid instructor, eventually moving into the training office, and retired as assistant chief. In 1987, shortly after retiring, Bill was asked to run for Mayor for the Burnaby Citizens Association (BCA). Much to his surprise he won. He served with distinction for three terms (1987-1996). Bill, his wife Ruth, and their three children, Doug and Dan (both firefighters) and Emily (a teacher), lived in North Burnaby on Cliff Avenue, the family home for about 35 years. Bill was active in many organizations including the Cliff Avenue soccer organization, St. John Ambulance, Burnaby Red Cross, and CNIB, among others. He began representing firefighters locally in the International Association of Fire Fighters in the early 1960s, eventually becoming President of the provincial association and then Vice President of the 6th District representing Western Canada.
- Total Tracks
- 6
- Total Length
- 0:25:35
- Interviewee Name
- Copeland, William J
- 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 business computerization 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 four of interview with William J. Copeland
Track four of interview with William J. Copeland
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-013/MSS187-013_Track_4.mp3Interview with William J. Copeland by Rod Fowler February 18, 1990 - Track 6
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory440
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1990
- Length
- 00:01:45
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Bill Copeland's possibility of running for a second term and the political group he represents (BCA)
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Bill Copeland's possibility of running for a second term and the political group he represents (BCA)
- Date Range
- 1990
- Photo Info
- Mayor Bill Copeland cutting the ribbon for the opening of the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts accompanied by Jack and Doris Shadbolt and Councillors Doug Drummond and Derek Corrigan, 1995. Item no. 535-0067
- Length
- 00:01:45
- Subjects
- Elections
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- February 18, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with former Burnaby Mayor William J. Copeland conducted by Rod Fowler. Bill Copeland 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 Bill Copeland’s education, career and experience as a Burnaby firefighter from 1955 to 1987, and his work for the union International Association of Fire Fighters. He talks about his early family life in Burnaby and Vancouver, war service, training with the Federal Fire Service, the organizations he has belonged to, and the careers of his three children. He briefly talks about Burnaby politics and his unexpected election to Mayor of Burnaby. Major themes of the interview, described by track: Track 1: Organizations - Unions; Public Services - Fire Protection; International Association of Fire Fighters; Track 2: Public Services - Fire Protection; Track 3: Elections; Track 4: family history and education; Track 5: Public Services - Fire Protection; Track 6: Elections
- Biographical Notes
- William John (Bill) Copeland (1927-2002) was born in Vancouver May 19, 1927. As a young child he lived with his parents on Southwood Street in South Burnaby on a chicken ranch. Bill’s father was a miner and was often away from home. The family moved to Pioneer Mines at Bridge River for a few years and then moved back to Vancouver in 1941 when his father contracted silicosis. Bill served in the navy for about a year near the end of WWII, was in the Canadian Merchant Marine and worked as a pipe fitter, before beginning his career as a fire fighter. He trained with the Federal Fire Service and worked two years at the Wireless Station in Delta. In 1955 he started work as Fire Fighter No. 53 in Burnaby, retiring 33 years later in 1987. Most of his career was spent at the Control Station or Number 1 Firehall, first located at Wiilingdon and Hastings (now No.5 Station) and later on Sperling near Canada Way. Bill worked as a first aid instructor, eventually moving into the training office, and retired as assistant chief. In 1987, shortly after retiring, Bill was asked to run for Mayor for the Burnaby Citizens Association (BCA). Much to his surprise he won. He served with distinction for three terms (1987-1996). Bill, his wife Ruth, and their three children, Doug and Dan (both firefighters) and Emily (a teacher), lived in North Burnaby on Cliff Avenue, the family home for about 35 years. Bill was active in many organizations including the Cliff Avenue soccer organization, St. John Ambulance, Burnaby Red Cross, and CNIB, among others. He began representing firefighters locally in the International Association of Fire Fighters in the early 1960s, eventually becoming President of the provincial association and then Vice President of the 6th District representing Western Canada.
- Total Tracks
- 6
- Total Length
- 0:25:35
- Interviewee Name
- Copeland, William J
- 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 business computerization 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 six of interview with William J. Copeland
Track six of interview with William J. Copeland
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-013/MSS187-013_Track_6.mp3Alfred Bingham's writings - Track 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory251
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1865-1919
- Length
- 0:10:18
- Summary
- This portion of the recording includes Alfred Bingham's essay entitled Stump Rangers, a listing of early settlers that includes addresses and short descriptions, essays on Confederation Park, land clearing and on Burnaby's first Council meeting.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the recording includes Alfred Bingham's essay entitled Stump Rangers, a listing of early settlers that includes addresses and short descriptions, essays on Confederation Park, land clearing and on Burnaby's first Council meeting.
- Date Range
- 1865-1919
- Photo Info
- Alfred Bingham, April 20, 1947. Item no. 010-066
- Length
- 0:10:18
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of Alfred Bingham's writings, as read by Alfred Bingham. Major themes discussed are: Pioneers, early days in Burnaby and the Co-op Movement. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".
- Biographical Notes
- Alfred "Alf" Bingham was born in England in 1892 and moved to Canada in 1912. His first job in Canada was laying track for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR) from Edmonton to McBride in 1912. His second was in Vancouver at the Rat Portage Mill on False Creek, working on the Resaw machine. He quit after one week due to poor working conditions. After taking part in the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike as a delegate of the Retail and Mailorder Union (A.F.L.) on the Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council, Alfred moved to Burnaby where he and fellow Burnaby residents Aungus McLean and Percy Little worked ten hour days to build a Shingle Mill on the edge of Burnaby Lake for Simpson & Giberson. George Green, carpenter and millwright (author of “The History of Burnaby”) also helped in the construction of the mill. Alfred built his own home from lumber cut from the mill in the Lochdale area on Sherlock Street between Curtis Street and Kitchener Street. On April 10, 1920 Alfred married Mary Jane “Ada” Reynolds. Alfred and Ada often took in foster children during their marriage. Due to her nursing experience, Ada was often called upon to deliver babies in the Burnaby area. Alfred and Ada Bingham were instrumental members of the Army of the Common Good, collecting vegetables and grains from growers in the area and even producing over 125 tons of vegetables from its own gardens to feed children and youth suffering from the lack of resources during the Depression years. The army was in operation for ten years and during that time the members organised the Credit Union movement of British Columbia and drew up the Credit Union act thorough the Vancouver Co-operative Council. They also started Co-Op stores and the Co-Op Wholesale Society. Alfred was also Secretary of the Burnaby Housing committee and in 1946 he became the Secretary of the North Burnaby Labour Progressive Party (LPP). Mary Jane “Ada” (Reynolds) Bingham died on August 9, 1969. Her husband Alfred died on April 29, 1979.
- Total Tracks
- 12
- Total Length
- 1:38:06
- Interviewee Name
- Bingham, Alfred "Alf"
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Oral history subseries
- Transcript Available
- MSS142-001 contains transcripts for each of the short stories
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track one of recording of Alfred Bingham's writings
Track one of recording of Alfred Bingham's writings
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-20-2/100-13-20-2_Track_1.mp3Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory464
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1911-1990
- Length
- 00:05:22
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about how Al Nixon began collecting and saving photographs, records and stories about the history of the Burnaby Fire Department in the mid 1980's. Finding the first scrapbook of photographs lead to other discoveries that placed the beginning of the Burnaby Fire Dep…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about how Al Nixon began collecting and saving photographs, records and stories about the history of the Burnaby Fire Department in the mid 1980's. Finding the first scrapbook of photographs lead to other discoveries that placed the beginning of the Burnaby Fire Department in 1911.
- Date Range
- 1911-1990
- Length
- 00:05:22
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- February 21, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Al Nixon, conducted by Rod Fowler. Al Nixon 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 the history and operations of the Burnaby Fire Department from its beginning in 1911 to 1990, and Al Nixon’s stories about the various ways photographs, records and artifacts about the department were collected and saved. The interview takes place while looking at photographs, but the information is clear nonetheless (His photographs have been deposited in the Burnaby Archives). Al Nixon also talks about his father's career as a firefighter, and about his Douglas grandparents and their home “The Gables” [Seven Gables] and neighbourhood in Burquitlam. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Al Nixon was born in New Westminster Feb. 8, 1936, the son of Provincial Fire Marshal Basil Nixon (1904-1975) and Agnes Douglas (1909-?). His mother’s family immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1922 and lived in a large ca. 1900 home in Burquitlam at 9957 Sullivan Road called “Seven Gables” (recently demolished). His grandfather Thomas Douglas, a Coquitlam Councillor and Socialist, was murdered in 1934 in his North Road service station. Al Nixon began his career as a firefighter with the Burnaby Fire Department in 1957, eventually becoming Deputy Fire Chief Operations in 1987 and Fire Chief in 1991, before retiring in 1993. In the mid 1980's Al Nixon became interested in the department’s history after finding a photograph scrapbook at one of the firehalls. It was in very bad condition but he recognized its value and began a project to collect and save photographs, artifacts and stories about the Burnaby Fire Department, a 6 month project that turned into years. The photographs and information gathered by Al Nixon became part of Douglas Penn’s book “Follow that Fire: the history of the Burnaby Fire Department”.
- Total Tracks
- 8
- Total Length
- 0:43:35
- Interviewee Name
- Nixon, Al
- 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.
Audio Tracks
Track one of interview with Al Nixon
Track one of interview with Al Nixon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_1.mp3Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 2
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory465
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1936-1990
- Length
- 00:04:08
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Al Nixon describing the location of the North Burnaby Fire Department fire hall and the location of the six fire halls subsequently built for the combined north and south department. He also talks about Fred Blake, Lewis Auvache and Henry Chapman, early member…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Al Nixon describing the location of the North Burnaby Fire Department fire hall and the location of the six fire halls subsequently built for the combined north and south department. He also talks about Fred Blake, Lewis Auvache and Henry Chapman, early members of the department who were also interested in the department's history.
- Date Range
- 1936-1990
- Length
- 00:04:08
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- February 21, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Al Nixon, conducted by Rod Fowler. Al Nixon 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 the history and operations of the Burnaby Fire Department from its beginning in 1911 to 1990, and Al Nixon’s stories about the various ways photographs, records and artifacts about the department were collected and saved. The interview takes place while looking at photographs, but the information is clear nonetheless (His photographs have been deposited in the Burnaby Archives). Al Nixon also talks about his father's career as a firefighter, and about his Douglas grandparents and their home “The Gables” [Seven Gables] and neighbourhood in Burquitlam. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Al Nixon was born in New Westminster Feb. 8, 1936, the son of Provincial Fire Marshal Basil Nixon (1904-1975) and Agnes Douglas (1909-?). His mother’s family immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1922 and lived in a large ca. 1900 home in Burquitlam at 9957 Sullivan Road called “Seven Gables” (recently demolished). His grandfather Thomas Douglas, a Coquitlam Councillor and Socialist, was murdered in 1934 in his North Road service station. Al Nixon began his career as a firefighter with the Burnaby Fire Department in 1957, eventually becoming Deputy Fire Chief Operations in 1987 and Fire Chief in 1991, before retiring in 1993. In the mid 1980's Al Nixon became interested in the department’s history after finding a photograph scrapbook at one of the firehalls. It was in very bad condition but he recognized its value and began a project to collect and save photographs, artifacts and stories about the Burnaby Fire Department, a 6 month project that turned into years. The photographs and information gathered by Al Nixon became part of Douglas Penn’s book “Follow that Fire: the history of the Burnaby Fire Department”.
- Total Tracks
- 8
- Total Length
- 0:43:35
- Interviewee Name
- Nixon, Al
- 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.
Audio Tracks
Track two of interview with Al Nixon
Track two of interview with Al Nixon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_2.mp3Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 3
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory466
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1927-1990
- Length
- 00:04:05
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about the equipment used by the fire department over the years, in particular about the pump and ladder trucks, and about Chief Waddell's wise choice of locations for the fire halls.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about the equipment used by the fire department over the years, in particular about the pump and ladder trucks, and about Chief Waddell's wise choice of locations for the fire halls.
- Date Range
- 1927-1990
- Length
- 00:04:05
- Names
- Waddell, Gordon
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- February 21, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Al Nixon, conducted by Rod Fowler. Al Nixon 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 the history and operations of the Burnaby Fire Department from its beginning in 1911 to 1990, and Al Nixon’s stories about the various ways photographs, records and artifacts about the department were collected and saved. The interview takes place while looking at photographs, but the information is clear nonetheless (His photographs have been deposited in the Burnaby Archives). Al Nixon also talks about his father's career as a firefighter, and about his Douglas grandparents and their home “The Gables” [Seven Gables] and neighbourhood in Burquitlam. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Al Nixon was born in New Westminster Feb. 8, 1936, the son of Provincial Fire Marshal Basil Nixon (1904-1975) and Agnes Douglas (1909-?). His mother’s family immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1922 and lived in a large ca. 1900 home in Burquitlam at 9957 Sullivan Road called “Seven Gables” (recently demolished). His grandfather Thomas Douglas, a Coquitlam Councillor and Socialist, was murdered in 1934 in his North Road service station. Al Nixon began his career as a firefighter with the Burnaby Fire Department in 1957, eventually becoming Deputy Fire Chief Operations in 1987 and Fire Chief in 1991, before retiring in 1993. In the mid 1980's Al Nixon became interested in the department’s history after finding a photograph scrapbook at one of the firehalls. It was in very bad condition but he recognized its value and began a project to collect and save photographs, artifacts and stories about the Burnaby Fire Department, a 6 month project that turned into years. The photographs and information gathered by Al Nixon became part of Douglas Penn’s book “Follow that Fire: the history of the Burnaby Fire Department”.
- Total Tracks
- 8
- Total Length
- 0:43:35
- Interviewee Name
- Nixon, Al
- 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.
Audio Tracks
Track three of interview with Al Nixon
Track three of interview with Al Nixon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_3.mp3Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 4
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory467
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1945-1990
- Length
- 00:06:11
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about the inhalator equipment used by the department starting in 1945. Al Nixon describes 50% of the calls received by the department as "pre-hospital care", and that the department is an emergency service rather than just a fire department. He also describes the 19…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about the inhalator equipment used by the department starting in 1945. Al Nixon describes 50% of the calls received by the department as "pre-hospital care", and that the department is an emergency service rather than just a fire department. He also describes the 1990 department staffing and equipment level.
- Date Range
- 1945-1990
- Length
- 00:06:11
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- February 21, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Al Nixon, conducted by Rod Fowler. Al Nixon 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 the history and operations of the Burnaby Fire Department from its beginning in 1911 to 1990, and Al Nixon’s stories about the various ways photographs, records and artifacts about the department were collected and saved. The interview takes place while looking at photographs, but the information is clear nonetheless (His photographs have been deposited in the Burnaby Archives). Al Nixon also talks about his father's career as a firefighter, and about his Douglas grandparents and their home “The Gables” [Seven Gables] and neighbourhood in Burquitlam. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Al Nixon was born in New Westminster Feb. 8, 1936, the son of Provincial Fire Marshal Basil Nixon (1904-1975) and Agnes Douglas (1909-?). His mother’s family immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1922 and lived in a large ca. 1900 home in Burquitlam at 9957 Sullivan Road called “Seven Gables” (recently demolished). His grandfather Thomas Douglas, a Coquitlam Councillor and Socialist, was murdered in 1934 in his North Road service station. Al Nixon began his career as a firefighter with the Burnaby Fire Department in 1957, eventually becoming Deputy Fire Chief Operations in 1987 and Fire Chief in 1991, before retiring in 1993. In the mid 1980's Al Nixon became interested in the department’s history after finding a photograph scrapbook at one of the firehalls. It was in very bad condition but he recognized its value and began a project to collect and save photographs, artifacts and stories about the Burnaby Fire Department, a 6 month project that turned into years. The photographs and information gathered by Al Nixon became part of Douglas Penn’s book “Follow that Fire: the history of the Burnaby Fire Department”.
- Total Tracks
- 8
- Total Length
- 0:43:35
- Interviewee Name
- Nixon, Al
- 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.
Audio Tracks
Track four of interview with Al Nixon
Track four of interview with Al Nixon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_4.mp3Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 5
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory468
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1980-1990
- Length
- 00:05:26
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about the purchase and location of the first fire hydrants in Burnaby by the Waterworks Department, and about disputes about the areas covered by adjacent fire departments, in particular who covered District Lot 172 between Burnaby and New Westminster.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about the purchase and location of the first fire hydrants in Burnaby by the Waterworks Department, and about disputes about the areas covered by adjacent fire departments, in particular who covered District Lot 172 between Burnaby and New Westminster.
- Date Range
- 1980-1990
- Length
- 00:05:26
- Subjects
- Public Services - Fire Protection
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- February 21, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Al Nixon, conducted by Rod Fowler. Al Nixon 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 the history and operations of the Burnaby Fire Department from its beginning in 1911 to 1990, and Al Nixon’s stories about the various ways photographs, records and artifacts about the department were collected and saved. The interview takes place while looking at photographs, but the information is clear nonetheless (His photographs have been deposited in the Burnaby Archives). Al Nixon also talks about his father's career as a firefighter, and about his Douglas grandparents and their home “The Gables” [Seven Gables] and neighbourhood in Burquitlam. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Al Nixon was born in New Westminster Feb. 8, 1936, the son of Provincial Fire Marshal Basil Nixon (1904-1975) and Agnes Douglas (1909-?). His mother’s family immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1922 and lived in a large ca. 1900 home in Burquitlam at 9957 Sullivan Road called “Seven Gables” (recently demolished). His grandfather Thomas Douglas, a Coquitlam Councillor and Socialist, was murdered in 1934 in his North Road service station. Al Nixon began his career as a firefighter with the Burnaby Fire Department in 1957, eventually becoming Deputy Fire Chief Operations in 1987 and Fire Chief in 1991, before retiring in 1993. In the mid 1980's Al Nixon became interested in the department’s history after finding a photograph scrapbook at one of the firehalls. It was in very bad condition but he recognized its value and began a project to collect and save photographs, artifacts and stories about the Burnaby Fire Department, a 6 month project that turned into years. The photographs and information gathered by Al Nixon became part of Douglas Penn’s book “Follow that Fire: the history of the Burnaby Fire Department”.
- Total Tracks
- 8
- Total Length
- 0:43:35
- Interviewee Name
- Nixon, Al
- 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.
Audio Tracks
Track five of interview with Al Nixon
Track five of interview with Al Nixon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_5.mp3Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 6
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory469
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1980-1990
- Length
- 00:05:58
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Al Nixon describing his work as Deputy Fire Chief and some of the challenges facing the department: the need for more and better equipment and halls to address fires in new kinds of structures (e.g. Metrotown parkade) and growing areas
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Al Nixon describing his work as Deputy Fire Chief and some of the challenges facing the department: the need for more and better equipment and halls to address fires in new kinds of structures (e.g. Metrotown parkade) and growing areas
- Date Range
- 1980-1990
- Length
- 00:05:58
- Subjects
- Public Services - Fire Protection
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- February 21, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Al Nixon, conducted by Rod Fowler. Al Nixon 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 the history and operations of the Burnaby Fire Department from its beginning in 1911 to 1990, and Al Nixon’s stories about the various ways photographs, records and artifacts about the department were collected and saved. The interview takes place while looking at photographs, but the information is clear nonetheless (His photographs have been deposited in the Burnaby Archives). Al Nixon also talks about his father's career as a firefighter, and about his Douglas grandparents and their home “The Gables” [Seven Gables] and neighbourhood in Burquitlam. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Al Nixon was born in New Westminster Feb. 8, 1936, the son of Provincial Fire Marshal Basil Nixon (1904-1975) and Agnes Douglas (1909-?). His mother’s family immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1922 and lived in a large ca. 1900 home in Burquitlam at 9957 Sullivan Road called “Seven Gables” (recently demolished). His grandfather Thomas Douglas, a Coquitlam Councillor and Socialist, was murdered in 1934 in his North Road service station. Al Nixon began his career as a firefighter with the Burnaby Fire Department in 1957, eventually becoming Deputy Fire Chief Operations in 1987 and Fire Chief in 1991, before retiring in 1993. In the mid 1980's Al Nixon became interested in the department’s history after finding a photograph scrapbook at one of the firehalls. It was in very bad condition but he recognized its value and began a project to collect and save photographs, artifacts and stories about the Burnaby Fire Department, a 6 month project that turned into years. The photographs and information gathered by Al Nixon became part of Douglas Penn’s book “Follow that Fire: the history of the Burnaby Fire Department”.
- Total Tracks
- 8
- Total Length
- 0:43:35
- Interviewee Name
- Nixon, Al
- 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.
Audio Tracks
Track six of interview with Al Nixon
Track six of interview with Al Nixon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_6.mp3