"Plants - Trees" found 4 records

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Henry deJong’s description of his favourite trails in the conservation area, and stories about the illegal cutting of trees and the 2006 death of two people in the park.

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Henry deJong’s description of his favourite trails in the conservation area, and stories about the illegal cutting of trees and the 2006 death of two people in the park.

Subjects: Geographic Features - Parks; Geographic Features - Trails; Plants - Trees

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Henry deJong conducted by Kathy Bossort. Henry deJong was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about Henry deJong’s work designing, developing and maintaining trails in the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area as Park Design Technician for the City of Burnaby’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services. He provides a history of trail development after the transfer of SFU land to Burnaby and the creation of the 1999 Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area Plan. He also talks about monitoring and managing the forest environment, rehabilitating damaged areas, working with park users and stakeholders, and his favourite trails.

Biographical Notes: Henry G. deJong was born 1954 in Newmarket, Ontario, to Harmen and Griet deJong. He came west to enjoy outdoor recreation in BC and lived in Smithers for several years before marrying and moving to the Vancouver area, where he obtained a diploma in landscape design & horticulture from BCIT. Henry began working for the City of Burnaby in the Engineering Department in 1985, moving to Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services in 1990, and currently has the position of Park Design Technician. His focus on trail design and construction on Burnaby Mountain began in 2000 after the development of the 1999 Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area Plan. Henry lived in Burnaby for about 8 years in the Capital Hill and Edmonds area between 1983 and 1995 before moving to Cloverdale in Surrey. He belongs to the BC Mountaineering Club, the Willoughby Community Church and is a Boys Club volunteer.

Interview Location: City of Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services meeting room

Interviewer Bio: Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.

Track six of interview with Henry deJong

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified person taking a photograph of a blooming rhododendron at the Rhododendron Festival at Deer Lake Park.

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified person taking a photograph of a blooming rhododendron at the Rhododendron Festival at Deer Lake Park.

Subjects: Events - Festivals; Plants - Trees; Plants - Flowers; Geographic Features - Parks

Notes: Title based on caption; Collected by editorial for use in a May 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata: "Cool, cloudy weather didn't keep flower lovers, and photographers, from enjoying the blossoms at the annual Rhododendron Festival at Deer Lake Park."