Helen 'The Swinging Girl' Neon Sign
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark591
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Description
- Commercial building.
- Associated Dates
- 1956
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Other Names
- Helen's Childrens Wear Sign
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Other Names
- Helen's Childrens Wear Sign
- Geographic Access
- Hastings Street
- Associated Dates
- 1956
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Enactment Type
- Bylaw No. 12771
- Enactment Date
- 19/04/2010
- Description
- Commercial building.
- Heritage Value
- While the building here is of some importance as the former North Burnaby municipal office, its primary importance is its delightful neon sign that has become a North Burnaby landmark. Helen Arnold opened Helen’s Childrens Wear shop in the building next door to the old Municipal offices in 1948. In 1955, when North Burnaby moved out, she moved into the vacated building. As part of the renovations, Helen enlisted the assistance of her good friend Jimmy Wallace, owner of Vancouver’s Wallace Neon Company, to create a new sign for her expanded business. One of the company’s designers, Reeve Lehman, created the swinging neon girl that was installed in 1956. Designed in two parts, one section of the sign is cloud shaped and reads ‘Helen’s’ while the other section is a moving representation of a little girl on a swing. The sign is nine feet six inches high and nine feet wide, and the lower section is animated with an internal motor and gears. It immediately became a landmark on Hastings Street, and recently the sign’s design fame has spread far and wide as one of the best surviving examples of kinetic neon art in North America.
- Locality
- Vancouver Heights
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Willingdon Heights Area
- Community
- Burnaby
- Names
- Helen's Childrens Wear
- Street Address
- 4142 Hastings Street
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
Images
Book of birds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary4819
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection
- Special Collection
- Material Type
- Book
- Accession Code
- BV985.6170.1
- Call Number
- 598 BOO
- Place of Publication
- London
- Publisher
- Ernest Nister
- Publication Date
- 1914
- Physical Description
- 1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. : 27 cm.
- Inscription
- "Ma___ Burd from Nancy Bompa Xmas 1914" [Handwritten in pencil on front endpaper]
- Library Subject (LOC)
- Birds
- Juvenile literature
- Children's literature
- Animals
- Subjects
- Animals - Birds
- Animals
Images
Doctor Rabbit and Tom Wildcat
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary1650
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection
- Special Collection
- Material Type
- Book
- Accession Code
- BV985.4047.1
- Call Number
- 810 HIN
- Place of Publication
- Chicago
- Publisher
- Rand McNally & Co.
- Publication Date
- c1918
- Series
- The Greenwoods series
- Physical Description
- ix, 95 p. : col. ill. ; 18 cm.
- Inscription
- "b 1y" ?, in pencil inside back cover
- Library Subject (LOC)
- Animals
- Fiction--20th century
- Juvenile fiction
- Notes
- Author's full name and dates: Hinkle, Thomas C. (Thomas Clark), 1876-1949.
Sharp eyes and other essays
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary353
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Author
- Burroughs, John, 1837-1921
- Publication Date
- c1919
- Call Number
- 508 BUR Copy 1
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection
- Special Collection
- Material Type
- Book
- Accession Code
- BV989.9.27
- Call Number
- 508 BUR Copy 1
- Author
- Burroughs, John, 1837-1921
- Contributor
- McIntosh, H.
- Place of Publication
- Toronto
- Publisher
- W. J. Gage
- Publication Date
- c1919
- Series
- Gage's literature series
- Physical Description
- viii, 100 p.; 19 cm.
- Inscription
- Front endpaper: "35" [written in pencil] "E. Anderson" [written in pencil]
- Library Subject (LOC)
- Natural history--Outdoor books
- Notes
- edited with introduction and notes by H. McIntosh
- "With an Appendix containing Notes on the Birds, Animals, Fishes, and Plants Mentioned in the Essays" -- t.p.
- Copy 1 of 3