"Washington" found 24 records

History: Andrew Martin Johnson was born in Norway in 1861 and immigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia in 1886. His wife Margaret Sloane was born in Ireland. Margaret and Andrew Johnson's eldest child, Edward Sloane, was born June 10, 1901 but did not survive infancy. Their second child, Andrew Sloane, was born in 1906. Andrew Martin was a major landowner in Burnaby, at one time owning each of the four corners of Royal Oak and Kingsway and many of the adjacent properties. He made his fortune as a partner in the firm of Atkins & Johnson, a leading transportation company in Vancouver which later became the Mainland Transfer Company. In 1910, Andrew Martin purchased Burnaby's Royal Oak Hotel. He soon acquired the property on the opposite corner to build their family home, called "Glenedward" after their eldest son. He owned and operated the Royal Oak Hotel until his death on September 18, 1934. In 1943 Margaret sold Glenedward. The building has since been converted twice: first into the Royal Oak Funeral Chapel and then into the Johnson House Korean Restaurant. Andrew Sloane Johnson attended Kingsway West School and Britannia High School before earning a Bachelor's of Business Administration at the University of Washington in 1930. He lived at Glenedward until moving to Washington for school.

Media Type: Photograph; Textual Record

Creator: Johnson, Andrew Martin

Notes: Title based on contents of subseries; PC244, PC335

Kiewitz family

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription88222

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1900]-[1950] (date of originals), copied [199-]

Collection/Fonds: Mary Forsyth fonds

Description Level: File

Physical Description: 44 photographs: b&w and sepia ; 20 x 25 cm or smaller

Scope and Content: Photographs of the Kiewitz and the Dedul families.

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1900]-[1950] (date of originals), copied [199-]

Collection/Fonds: Mary Forsyth fonds

Physical Description: 44 photographs: b&w and sepia ; 20 x 25 cm or smaller

Description Level: File

Record No.: 572-018

Access Restriction: In Archives only

Reproduction Restriction: No reproduction permitted

Accession Number: 2014-27

Scope and Content: Photographs of the Kiewitz and the Dedul families.

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Transcribed title; Includes 20 photocopied photographs (572-018-21:572-018-41) and 1 copy negative; Note in blue ink on verso of photograph 572-018-4 reads: "Lizabeth you know where that was taken & who all in it"; Note in pencil on verso of photograph 572-018-6 reads: "Remembrance of the family taken before Xmas 1931"; Note in pencil on verso of photograph 572-018-7 reads: "Dad I think, Bean hay & me"; Stamp on verso of photograph 572-018-8 reads: "Post Card/ Made in Canada/ Correspondence/ Address/ Place Stamp here"; Note in blue ink on verso of photograph 572-018-11 reads: "Mary Bolton, Robert Kiewitz, Floyd Butterfield, Dick Dunlap & Gertie Kiewitz on No.99 Highway, Washington/ July, 19, 1938; Note in black ink on verso of photograph 572-018-12 reads: "Snowball tree in bloom of course not this spring. With Chrissie Scott, Margery Mineess, Gertrude in fore ground/ I can't remember whether I've send one of these snaps before"; Stamp on verso of photograph 572-018-14 reads: "127"; Note in ink on verso of photograph 572-018-15 reads: "Mary Bolton near tent pole Silver Lake Camp/ Mt.Everard Washington U.S.A."; Stamp on verso of photograph 572-018-16 reads: "718"; Stamp on verso of photograph 572-018-17 reads: "973"; Stamp on verso of photograph 572-018-18 reads: "465"; Note in pencil on verso of photograph 572-018-19 reads: "W. Kiewitz/ 841-4th St. New West'r"; Note in pencil on envelope for copy-negative reads: "Julia/ Gertie/ Annie/ Jenny/ Bolton's Pond/ Julia on Bolton's

Laurence J. Peter family fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription88409

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1949

Collection/Fonds: Laurence J. Peter family fonds

Description Level: Fonds

Physical Description: 1 p. of textual records.

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of one Share Certificate for the Lochdale Co Operative Association.

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1949

Collection/Fonds: Laurence J. Peter family fonds

Physical Description: 1 p. of textual records.

Description Level: Fonds

Access Restriction: In Archives only

Accession Number: 2013-29

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of one Share Certificate for the Lochdale Co Operative Association.

History: In 1941, Laurence J. Peter began his career as an industrial arts teacher at Lord Tweedsmeer High School in Cloverdale, after an illness kept him out of World War II. It was here that he met his future wife, Nancy M. Bailey, who was the vice principal of the school. The couple married in 1943 and made their way to Burnaby in 1947 after purchasing a one-acre lot in Burnaby from Mr. Wright for $1,000. When the couple purchased this lot, Nancy was teaching English at Burnaby South High School, while Laurence was teaching Woodwork at New Haven Borstal Home for Boys in the Provincial Corrections system. The lot was located in the historic neighbourhood of Lozell’s at 7229 Lougheed Highway and was renumbered to 7449 Lougheed in 1958. Laurence and Nancy had four children, two boys (John and Ted) and two girls (Alice and Margaret). When they first purchased the lot, they built a small house where they lived with their eldest son, John, until the completion of a larger house in 1949. Their second son, Ted, was born a few weeks before the completion of the larger house and was brought into the new home from the hospital. Their daughters were born over the next few years. Laurence and Nancy had built the larger house using a technique of peeled plywood core logs. Laurence and his cousin, Hewton Peter, who owned the lot next door, designed and built a machine to build exterior walls for their houses using plywood cores. In 1947, plywood cores were turned (peeled) down to six inches in diameter and then discarded to be chipped for the pulp industry. To build the house, the cores were splined together and stood on end making a vertical log house. Only three houses were ever built using their invention. The three-bedroom, one-bathroom house was completed in October 1949. The exterior of the house was never painted, just brushed with linseed oil. The traffic of the Lougheed Highway was not heard inside the house due to the six-inch walls and was very economical to heat in the snowy winters of the 1950s. Over the years, the couple worked on finishing the interior of the house, which included an intricately carved eight-foot-wide oak mantelpiece carved by Laurence. Parts of the mantel were reclaimed from the demolished old Hotel Vancouver and cobblestones reclaimed from the interurban tracks were used for the fireplace and stonework around the property. The family raised goats for milk and chickens for eggs and maintained a large vegetable garden and fruit trees on the property. When the goats and chickens were not needed anymore, Laurence slaughtered them for meat which they stored in a freezer at the Lochdale Co-operative until they were ready to consume them. The family was actively involved in the Burnaby community with Laurence and Nancy taking part in local politics and community activities and their children participating in Boy Scouts and Girl Guides and music lessons. All four children graduated from Burnaby North High School, and in 1970, Ted and Alice completed their studies at British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). They worked at local jobs in the community, including building the Burnaby Mountain Golf Course. Laurence moved on to take a position as a Mental Health Coordinator (Special Counselor) in the Vancouver School System, and in 1959, Nancy joined the staff at the newly opened Burnaby Central Senior Secondary School as a math teacher, later becoming the head of the Mathematics Department. The couple continued their education at summer school at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, where Nancy completed her Master's Degree in 1964 and Laurence his Doctoral degree in 1963. Laurence joined the faculty of the University of British Columbia in 1965 and later received the WSU Regents’ Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1980. The couple separated in 1965 and Laurence moved to California in 1966 to teach at the University of Southern California. Laurence became widely famous in 1969, after the publication of his bestselling book, "The Peter Principle," which has been translated into more than 38 languages. Following this publication, he went on to author eight more books and published several texts in the field of ‘Prescriptive Teaching’. He died on January 12, 1990, at the age of 70 at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, California, and is honoured with a plaque as part of the Literary Landmarks program of the Vancouver Public Library located at the Metro Theatre, 1370 Marine Drive. Nancy continued to teach at Burnaby South, until her retirement in 1978 after 30 years as head of the Mathematics Department at Burnaby Central. She was an active member of the Burnaby Historical Society for many years. She passed away in Nanaimo near her family on April 21, 2013, at the age of 97.

Media Type: Textual Record

Creator: Peter, Laurence J.

Notes: Title based on contents of fonds; MSS186-001

Lillian Yanko at Deception Falls

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription79342

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: July 1949

Collection/Fonds: Yanko family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 5.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of Leida Doria "Lillian Doris" (Carman) Yanko at Deception Falls in Washington State, United States of America.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: July 1949

Collection/Fonds: Yanko family fonds

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 5.5 cm

Material Details: Secured to album page with photo corners

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 545-152

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2012-09

Scope and Content: Photograph of Leida Doria "Lillian Doris" (Carman) Yanko at Deception Falls in Washington State, United States of America.

Subjects: Geographic Features - Waterfalls

Names: Yanko, Leida Doria "Lillian Doris" Carman

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Note written on album page reads: "Deception Falls / Wash. USA / 4 July 1949'"; Note in black ink on verso of photograph reads: "Deception Falls, Washington, USA / July/49"; 1 duplicate photograph accompanying

Images

Lillian Yanko at Deception Falls, July 1949 thumbnail

Nancy Peter subseries

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97449

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1952-1992

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Subseries

Physical Description: Photographs and textual records

Scope and Content: Subseries consists of photographs of Burnaby Lake compiled by Nancy Peter. Subseries also contains one school report: "A Study of Burnaby taken from the Point of View of Education."

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1952-1992

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Nancy Peter subseries

Physical Description: Photographs and textual records

Description Level: Subseries

Accession Number: BHS1992-45; BHS1992-40

Scope and Content: Subseries consists of photographs of Burnaby Lake compiled by Nancy Peter. Subseries also contains one school report: "A Study of Burnaby taken from the Point of View of Education."

History: Nancy M. Bailey was the vice principal of Lord Tweedsmeer Hight School in Cloverdale, BC. In 1941, she met Laurence J. Peter, an industrial arts teacher at the school. In 1943 the couple married and in 1947 they moved to Burnaby. Laurence and Nancy had four children: two boys, John and Ted, and two girls, Alice and Margaret. The family was actively involved in the Burnaby community with Laurence and Nancy taking part in local politics and community activities and their children participating in Boy Scouts and Girl Guides and music lessons. All four children graduated from Burnaby North High School and in 1970, Ted and Alice completed their studies at British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). They worked local jobs in the community including on the construction of the Burnaby Mountain Golf Course. Laurence worked as a Mental Health Coordinator (Special Counselor) in the Vancouver School System and in 1959, Nancy joined the staff at the newly opened Burnaby Central Senior Secondary School as a Math teacher. She later became the head of the Mathematics Department at the school. The couple continued their education at summer school at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, where Nancy completed her Masters Degree in 1964 and Laurence his Doctoral degree in 1963. Laurence joined the faculty of the University of British Columbia in 1965 and received the WSU Regents’ Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1980. The couple separated in 1965 and Laurence moved to California in 1966 to teach at the University of Southern California. Nancy continued to teach at Burnaby South, until her retirement in 1978 after 30 years as head of the Mathematics Department at Burnaby Central. She was an active member of the Burnaby Historical Society for many years. Nancy passed away in Nanaimo near her family on April 21, 2013 at the age of 97.

Media Type: Photograph; Textual Record

Creator: Peter, Nancy M. Bailey

Notes: Title based on creator of subseries

Amanda Coutts and Sean Kheraj

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription80108

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: March 12, 1997

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 23.5 x 16 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of Cariboo students Amanda Coutts and Sean Kheraj holding a “Washington or Bust” sign. (Where the National Young Leaders Conference will be held).

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: March 12, 1997

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 23.5 x 16 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-0637

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No reproduction permitted

Accession Number: 2012-11

Scope and Content: Photograph of Cariboo students Amanda Coutts and Sean Kheraj holding a “Washington or Bust” sign. (Where the National Young Leaders Conference will be held).

Names: Coutts, Amanda; Kheraj, Sean

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Note in black ink on recto of photograph reads: "Bby A / Bby - B3 44%"; Trim marks and/or reproduction instructions on recto (scan is cropped)

Images

Amanda Coutts and Sean Kheraj, March 12, 1997 thumbnail

Basketball

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription80889

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: March 11, 1998

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w; 23 x 11.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of Simon Fraser University women’s basketball team playing against Western Washington University.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: March 11, 1998

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w; 23 x 11.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-1131

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No reproduction permitted

Accession Number: 2012-11

Scope and Content: Photograph of Simon Fraser University women’s basketball team playing against Western Washington University.

Subjects: Sports - Basketball

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Note in black ink on recto of photograph reads: "Mario 511 Bby / 55% Bby p. 18"; Trim marks and/or reproduction instructions on recto (scan is cropped)

Images

Basketball

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription81332

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1995 and 1998]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 21.5 x 15.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a girls’ college basketball game between Simon Fraser University and Central Washington University.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1995 and 1998]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 21.5 x 15.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-1467

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No reproduction permitted

Accession Number: 2012-11

Scope and Content: Photograph of a girls’ college basketball game between Simon Fraser University and Central Washington University.

Subjects: Sports - Basketball

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Note in black and blue ink on recto of photograph reads: "35.4% TC 34 / Bartel TC/Bby Sports 500"; Trim marks and/or reproduction instructions on recto (scan is cropped)

Images

Basketball, [between 1995 and 1998] thumbnail

Discovery Guide '99

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98039

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: File

Physical Description: 21 photographs (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: File contains photographs selected for the Burnaby NewsLeader's "Discovery Guide '99." Photographs depict: mostly unidentified people taking part in recreational activities like archery, boating, golf, fishing, hiking, and pottery at locations around Burnaby; musical and dance performances; a windo…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 21 photographs (tiff) : col.

Description Level: File

Record No.: 535-3119

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: File contains photographs selected for the Burnaby NewsLeader's "Discovery Guide '99." Photographs depict: mostly unidentified people taking part in recreational activities like archery, boating, golf, fishing, hiking, and pottery at locations around Burnaby; musical and dance performances; a window washer on a tower; and a duck swimming on a pond.

Subjects: Geographic Features - Lakes and Ponds; Geographic Features - Parks; Recreational Activities - Golf; Recreational Activities - Boating; Arts; Recreational Activities; Sports; Performances

Names: Central Park; BC Society of Model Engineers (BCSME); Burnaby Village Museum

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on original file name; Collected by editorial for use an issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata for 535-3319-8: "Kurtis Tylor, of the BC Society of Model Engineers, gives Kyle Miller, 9, a close-up look at an M420 diesel engine. Kyle was part of a group of 200 kids visiting the miniature railway at Confederation Park as part of a summer program at Hastings Park."; Caption from metadata for 535-3319-14: "Tom Stevens, of Everett, Washington, makes sure everything is shipshape on his 1:16 scale model of a 40 ft. Alaskan trawler. He started building the model in 1962, with his dad, and he was putting it through its paces at the Burnaby Association of Marine Modellers annual regatta at the pond in Central Park."

Geographic Access: Central Park; Confederation Park; Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area

Images

Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory472

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1934-1942

Length: 00:04:58

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s parents’ unsuccessful first attempt to move to British Columbia in 1934 in the Depression, being turned back by the provincial police, and the successful second attempt by bus. The interview continues with description of the family’s difficult…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s parents’ unsuccessful first attempt to move to British Columbia in 1934 in the Depression, being turned back by the provincial police, and the successful second attempt by bus. The interview continues with description of the family’s difficulties, what Lochdale looked like in the 1930s, his father’s work at Kapoor sawmill in Barnet, and Merrill Gordon’s early education.

Date Range: 1934-1942

Photo Info: Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263

Length: 00:04:58

Names: Kapoor Sawmill

Historic Neighbourhood: Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Lochdale Area

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: March 19, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.

Total Tracks: 11

Total Length: 1:31:44

Interviewee Name: Gordon, Merrill

Interview Location: unknown

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

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

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

Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263 thumbnail

Audio Tracks

Track one of interview with Merrill Gordon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_1.mp3

Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory473

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1934-1942

Length: 00:06:11

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s parents’ background and farm in Saskatchewan, and how the family arrived in Burnaby in 1934 with 56 cents at the Adam’s Dairy Farm near Union and Sperling.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s parents’ background and farm in Saskatchewan, and how the family arrived in Burnaby in 1934 with 56 cents at the Adam’s Dairy Farm near Union and Sperling.

Date Range: 1934-1942

Photo Info: Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263

Length: 00:06:11

Historic Neighbourhood: Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Lochdale Area

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: March 19, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.

Total Tracks: 11

Total Length: 1:31:44

Interviewee Name: Gordon, Merrill

Interview Location: unknown

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

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

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 Merrill Gordon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_2.mp3

Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory474

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1939-1946

Length: 00:04:30

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s education at Templeton School (Gr. 7-9) and Grandview High School of Commerce on First and Commercial, his teachers and the courses that he took.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s education at Templeton School (Gr. 7-9) and Grandview High School of Commerce on First and Commercial, his teachers and the courses that he took.

Date Range: 1939-1946

Photo Info: Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263

Length: 00:04:30

Subjects: Education

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: March 19, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.

Total Tracks: 11

Total Length: 1:31:44

Interviewee Name: Gordon, Merrill

Interview Location: unknown

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

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

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 Merrill Gordon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_3.mp3

Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 4

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory475

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1946-1987

Length: 00:06:32

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s career at Canadian Industries Inc (CIL) for a few years and then for Fleck Brothers until 1965, when he started his own business, Blaze Industries, which manufactured fire places and wood burning heaters. He also describes his short retirement…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s career at Canadian Industries Inc (CIL) for a few years and then for Fleck Brothers until 1965, when he started his own business, Blaze Industries, which manufactured fire places and wood burning heaters. He also describes his short retirement in 1980 and going back to work for a solar panel manufacturing company, which led to building a plant in India.

Date Range: 1946-1987

Photo Info: Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263

Length: 00:06:32

Subjects: Occupations

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: March 19, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.

Total Tracks: 11

Total Length: 1:31:44

Interviewee Name: Gordon, Merrill

Interview Location: unknown

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

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

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 Merrill Gordon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_4.mp3

Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 5

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory476

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1935-1956

Length: 00:04:56

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s marriage and move to Burnaby in 1953, and settling at the house near Cliff Avenue United Church in 1956. He talks about his first encounters with volunteering at Ratepayer meetings attended by his father, and in dance and drama activities at s…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s marriage and move to Burnaby in 1953, and settling at the house near Cliff Avenue United Church in 1956. He talks about his first encounters with volunteering at Ratepayer meetings attended by his father, and in dance and drama activities at school.

Date Range: 1935-1956

Photo Info: Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263

Length: 00:04:56

Subjects: Persons - Volunteers; Education

Historic Neighbourhood: Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Lochdale Area

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: March 19, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.

Total Tracks: 11

Total Length: 1:31:44

Interviewee Name: Gordon, Merrill

Interview Location: unknown

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

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

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 five of interview with Merrill Gordon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_5.mp3

Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 6

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory477

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1956-1990

Length: 00:13:27

Summary: This portion of the interview is about the circumstances behind Merrill Gordon’s founding of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club in 1956, his subsequent involvement and role as President of the club for 15 years, and the growth and history of soccer clubs in Burnaby. He also talks about his frien…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about the circumstances behind Merrill Gordon’s founding of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club in 1956, his subsequent involvement and role as President of the club for 15 years, and the growth and history of soccer clubs in Burnaby. He also talks about his friend Mark Stockdale who was second president of the club for 16 years and creator of the rose garden on Burnaby Mountain.

Date Range: 1956-1990

Photo Info: Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263

Length: 00:13:27

Names: Stockdale, Mark; Cliff Avenue United Football Club; Burnaby Mountain Centennial Rose Garden

Subjects: Persons - Volunteers; Sports - Soccer

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: March 19, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.

Total Tracks: 11

Total Length: 1:31:44

Interviewee Name: Gordon, Merrill

Interview Location: unknown

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

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

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 Merrill Gordon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_6.mp3

Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 7

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory478

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1956-1990

Length: 00:07:05

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s political career and his volunteer work with Cliff Avenue soccer, the Burnaby Mental Health Association, the library board, and the New Vista Society. He talks about his association with Alan Emmott and the founding of the Better Burnaby Commi…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s political career and his volunteer work with Cliff Avenue soccer, the Burnaby Mental Health Association, the library board, and the New Vista Society. He talks about his association with Alan Emmott and the founding of the Better Burnaby Committee (BBC), his election to Burnaby Council in 1972 with BVA, and his membership in and work for the federal NDP

Date Range: 1956-1990

Photo Info: Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263

Length: 00:07:05

Names: Emmott, Alan H

Subjects: Persons - Volunteers; Officials - Aldermen and Councillors

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: March 19, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.

Total Tracks: 11

Total Length: 1:31:44

Interviewee Name: Gordon, Merrill

Interview Location: unknown

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

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

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 seven of interview with Merrill Gordon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_7.mp3

Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 8

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory479

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1956-1990

Length: 00:10:17

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s founding and operation of the youth soccer exchange with Washington State, and the importance of soccer to the community. He discusses the problem of isolation between north and south Burnaby, planned development in Burnaby, and the contributi…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s founding and operation of the youth soccer exchange with Washington State, and the importance of soccer to the community. He discusses the problem of isolation between north and south Burnaby, planned development in Burnaby, and the contributions of Ratepayer groups and volunteers

Date Range: 1956-1990

Photo Info: Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263

Length: 00:10:17

Subjects: Persons - Volunteers; Sports - Soccer; Public Services - Municipal Services; Planning

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: March 19, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.

Total Tracks: 11

Total Length: 1:31:44

Interviewee Name: Gordon, Merrill

Interview Location: unknown

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

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

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 eight of interview with Merrill Gordon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_8.mp3

Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 9

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory480

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1987-1990

Length: 00:07:57

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s work on the Parks Board and involvement in the arts community. He talks about developing an art policy for Burnaby, the conflicting views about building a theatre at Metrotown, and the establishment of the Arts Centre at Deer Lake

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s work on the Parks Board and involvement in the arts community. He talks about developing an art policy for Burnaby, the conflicting views about building a theatre at Metrotown, and the establishment of the Arts Centre at Deer Lake

Date Range: 1987-1990

Photo Info: Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263

Length: 00:07:57

Names: Burnaby Arts Centre

Subjects: Public Services - Municipal Services; Arts; Recreational Activities - Theatre

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: March 19, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.

Total Tracks: 11

Total Length: 1:31:44

Interviewee Name: Gordon, Merrill

Interview Location: unknown

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

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

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 nine of interview with Merrill Gordon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_9.mp3

Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 10

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory481

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1965-1990

Length: 00:15:42

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s views about SFU and its relations with and contributions to Burnaby. He details the founding of the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society with Dean Lamont and its work to have SFU transfer unused land to Burnaby to preserve as parkland

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s views about SFU and its relations with and contributions to Burnaby. He details the founding of the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society with Dean Lamont and its work to have SFU transfer unused land to Burnaby to preserve as parkland

Date Range: 1965-1990

Photo Info: Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263

Length: 00:15:42

Names: Simon Fraser University; Lamont, Dean; Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society

Geographic Access: Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: March 19, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.

Total Tracks: 11

Total Length: 1:31:44

Interviewee Name: Gordon, Merrill

Interview Location: unknown

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

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

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 ten of interview with Merrill Gordon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_10.mp3

Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 11

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory482

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1984-1990

Length: 00:10:07

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon and his wife living and traveling in India intermittently for four years starting in 1984, and their impressions of the country and its people

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon and his wife living and traveling in India intermittently for four years starting in 1984, and their impressions of the country and its people

Date Range: 1984-1990

Photo Info: Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263

Length: 00:10:07

Subjects: Travel

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: March 19, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.

Total Tracks: 11

Total Length: 1:31:44

Interviewee Name: Gordon, Merrill

Interview Location: unknown

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

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

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 eleven of interview with Merrill Gordon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_11.mp3

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Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 1

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Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 2

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Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 3

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Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 4

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Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 5

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Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 6

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Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 7

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Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 8

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Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 9

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Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 10

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Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 11

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