Search Results | Heritage Burnaby

Robin Bridge at Robert Burnaby Park pool

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97021

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2000]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: Photograph of Robin Bridge, a Burnaby RCMP officer, sitting on the diving board at the Robert Burnaby Park pool, to promote the Friday night "Dive-In" for youth.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2000]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-2553

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of Robin Bridge, a Burnaby RCMP officer, sitting on the diving board at the Robert Burnaby Park pool, to promote the Friday night "Dive-In" for youth.

Subjects: Buildings - Recreational - Outdoor Swimming Pools; Occupations - Police Officers

Names: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on caption; Collected by editorial for use in a July 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata: "Robin Bridge, of the Burnaby RCMP, is one of the ornganizers of the Friday night Dive-In for youth at the outdoor pool at Robert Burnaby Park. Bridge says it's hoped the program will give young people a sense of "ownership," of the pool, and cut down on vandalism and break-ins."

Geographic Access: Robert Burnaby Park; Wedgewood Street

Street Address: 8175 Wedgewood Street

Historic Neighbourhood: East Burnaby (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Lakeview-Mayfield Area

Images

Robin Bridge at Robert Burnaby Park pool, [2000] thumbnail

Rosewood Street fire

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97009

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2000]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: File

Physical Description: 2 photographs (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: File contains photographs of the aftermath of a fire at a four-plex on Rosewood Street. Photographs depict a fire investigator logging damaged furniture and resident Barat Safdary outside of the home, as investigators work in the background.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2000]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 2 photographs (tiff) : col.

Description Level: File

Record No.: 535-2541

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: File contains photographs of the aftermath of a fire at a four-plex on Rosewood Street. Photographs depict a fire investigator logging damaged furniture and resident Barat Safdary outside of the home, as investigators work in the background.

Subjects: Natural Phenomena - Fires; Occupations - Fire Fighters; Buildings - Residential - Condominiums

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on caption; Collected by editorial for use in a July 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata for 535-2541-1: "Burnaby fire investigator logs damaged furniture outside a Rosewood Ave. four-plex that was heavily damaged by fire, and where a woman was critically injured."; Caption from metadata for 535-2541-2: "Barat Safdary describes how he awoke his five children after discovering his four-plex was on fire early Wednesday morning. A woman in the lower suite below his was critically injured."

Geographic Access: Rosewood Street

Historic Neighbourhood: Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Lakeview-Mayfield Area

Images

St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church opening service

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription96546

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2005]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: Photograph of the interior of the new St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church and Serbian Cultural Centre on Canada Way in Burnaby. The photograph shows Rev. Desimir Vidovic and Archbishop Anfilohije, of Montenegro, greeting worshippers after opening celebration services, underneath a chandel…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2005]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-2168

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of the interior of the new St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church and Serbian Cultural Centre on Canada Way in Burnaby. The photograph shows Rev. Desimir Vidovic and Archbishop Anfilohije, of Montenegro, greeting worshippers after opening celebration services, underneath a chandelier and in front of windows and an altar.

Subjects: Buildings - Religious - Churches; Religions; Occupations - Clergy

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on caption; Collected by editorial for use in a March 2005 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata: "Rev. Desimir Vidovic and Archbishop Anfilohije, of Montenegro, greet worshipers after services celebrating the opening of St. Archangel Michael Church and Serbian Cultural Centre, Saturday. The church, on Canada Way in Burnaby, will become the cultural heart for more than 15,000 Serbians in British Columbia."

Geographic Access: Canada Way

Historic Neighbourhood: Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Edmonds Area

Images

St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church opening service, [2005] thumbnail

Starlite Room fire

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription96363

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2003]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: Photograph of two Burnaby fire fighters outside of the Starlite Room banquet hall after fighting a fire. One fire fighter is climbing down a ladder as the other holds it. The Starlite Room's sign is visible in the background.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2003]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-2044

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of two Burnaby fire fighters outside of the Starlite Room banquet hall after fighting a fire. One fire fighter is climbing down a ladder as the other holds it. The Starlite Room's sign is visible in the background.

Subjects: Occupations - Fire Fighters; Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants

Names: Burnaby Fire Department

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on caption; Collected by editorial for use in a March 2003 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata: "Burnaby firefighters mop up after fire gutted the Starlite Room banquet hall, in the 7600 block of 6th St., early Saturday morning. The building's second floor was severly damaged by the fire, while other businesses on the ground floor received smoke and water damage. One person was slightly injured. The fire was the second of the night for Burnaby firefighters, who also battled a fire in a single-family home in the 5500 block of Donovan Ave., causing $280,000 damage. Nobody was home at the time."

Geographic Access: 6th Street

Historic Neighbourhood: Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Second Street Area

Images

Surgeon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97122

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2000]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified surgeon, wearing surgical scrubs and a hair net, posing in an operating room.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2000]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-2649

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified surgeon, wearing surgical scrubs and a hair net, posing in an operating room.

Subjects: Occupations - Physicians; Buildings - Civic - Hospitals

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on original file name; Collected by editorial for use in an August 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader

Images

Susan Borax of Good Riddance

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription96261

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2005]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: Photograph of Susan Borax, owner and operator of Burnaby organization company Good Riddance, inside of a client's office. Borax is holding and sorting a number of papers into a box.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2005]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-1944

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of Susan Borax, owner and operator of Burnaby organization company Good Riddance, inside of a client's office. Borax is holding and sorting a number of papers into a box.

Subjects: Occupations - Entrepreneurs; Buildings - Commercial - Offices

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Medig, Kari

Notes: Title based on caption; Collected by editorial for use in a February 2005 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata: "Susan Borax owner and operator of Good Riddance, a Burnaby company devoted to organizing people's clutter, tidies up in one of her client's office spaces on Wednesday afternoon."

Images

Susan Borax of Good Riddance, [2005] thumbnail

Terry Waterhouse

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97553

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2000]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: Photograph of Terry Waterhouse, the Manager of Youth Services at the Burnaby School District, posing with his arms crossed in a hallway as students pass by in the background.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2000]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-2892

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of Terry Waterhouse, the Manager of Youth Services at the Burnaby School District, posing with his arms crossed in a hallway as students pass by in the background.

Subjects: Occupations - Teachers; Education; Buildings - Schools

Names: Burnaby School District No. 41

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on caption; Collected by editorial for use in an October 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata: "Terry Waterhouse, the Burnaby School District's Manager of Youth Services, hosted a forum on bullying, at Burnaby South Secondary School, on Thursday."

Images

Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19602

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (68 min., 52 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (68 min., 53 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. 00:00-16:47 Bill and Ellen share where they were born, grew up and went to school as citizens of the United States and how they met in Pe…

1 image 1 document 1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: Many Voices Project Interviews subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (68 min., 52 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (68 min., 53 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewer: Eric Damer Interviewees: Ellen and Bill Schwartz Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: May 15, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:08:52 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby Photograph information: Bill and Ellen Schwartz.

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. 00:00-16:47 Bill and Ellen share where they were born, grew up and went to school as citizens of the United States and how they met in Pennsylvania the 1970s. Bill and Ellen explain how in the 1970s, they were discouraged about the current politics in the United States under the Nixon administration and how they were inspired by the “back to the land” ideals, rejecting materialism and wanting an alternative lifestyle. With these ideals in mind, they recall how in 1972 they and a few other friends decided to leave the United States, move to British Columbia with the goal of buying land in the Okanagan or Kootenay region and starting a new lifestyle for themselves. Bill and Ellen recollect how they purchased 20 acres of land in Galena Bay in the Kootenays and how they lived in the area off and on until the early 1980s. They describe how they cleared three acres of land, built a cabin, put in a garden, chicken coop and honey bees. With the challenges of the isolated location and no access to electricity they explain how they decided that they had to live elsewhere in order to make a living. Ellen talks about working as a special education teacher in Revelstoke and Slocan and how Bill obtained his teaching certificate while they lived in Nelson. Bill and Ellen describe themselves as environmentalists and of how they both became active Provincial environmentalists during the construction of the Revelstoke Dam. Bill talks about getting work with the “Energy Van” program talking about energy conservation, renewable energy and recycling. They explain how after their first child was born in 1980, they returned to Galena Bay for about a year and a half until Bill was offered a job with the Department of Energy Conservation which lead them to move to Vancouver. 16:48 – 22:46 Bill and Ellen describe their first few years of living in Vancouver and at University of British Columbia while Ellen completed her master’s degree in creative writing. During this time, they had their second child. They recall how in 1988 how they purchased a house in Burnaby, selecting to live in the Deer Lake neighbourhood. They talk about the benefits of the neighbourhood including; a French immersion school for their children, proximity to the trails around Deer Lake and having transit close by. 22:47 – 33:55 Bill and Ellen talk about their consulting business “Polestar Communications”. A Burnaby based communications consulting firm composed of three people, Ellen and Bill and colleague Richard Banner. They describe how their business got started and some of the projects that they’ve worked on including; BC Hydro’s Power Smart Program, financial literacy curriculum that was introduced in B.C. schools and reports for the Province of British Columbia. Ellen and Bill convey how Bill has been a very active member with the City of Burnaby Environment Committee, the Steering Committee to develop a sustainable environmental strategy for Burnaby, how he’s been awarded for his contributions in coaching youth sports and other areas in which they have both volunteered. 33:56 – 43:07 Ellen describes how she got started in writing educational resources about the environment and how since she completed grad school in 1984, she’s published nineteen books. Ellen conveys how her first book was published and sold to the Province of British Columbia as part of the B.C. educational curriculum on the environment. Ellen talks about some of the children’s books that she’s written and published with themes including; social justice, the labour movement and racism in sports. Ellen describes some of her books and the research that she’s done. 43:08 – 51:04 Ellen and Bill Schwartz reflect on what they like about living in Burnaby. They talk about the benefits of their neighbourhood including; performances at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival, the Burnaby Art Gallery and Deer Lake as well as having access to parks and community centres in Burnaby. 51:05-56:36 Bill and Ellen reflect on their involvement in the Jewish community, considering themselves non-secular Jews. Ellen talks about how they were involved with “Burquest” a Jewish Community Association and how they often observe some of the Jewish holidays including Hanukah and traditions including the Jewish coming of age ritual, bar mitzvah (masc.) and bat mistvah (fem.). Ellen mentions her involvement with the “Jone Betty Stuchner Oy Vey! Funniest Children’s book Award” where she acts a judge and her involvement with the Jewish Book festival and that she is a recipient of the Jewish Book award. 56:37 – 1:08:53 Bill and Ellen reflect on their 35 years living in Burnaby and how they’ve seen it change. They talk about the increased development and density in the city, how they are troubled by a lack of low income housing, the benefits and importance of public transportation and preservation of green space including Burnaby parks.

History: Interviewees' biographies: Ellen Schwartz was born in Washington, DC, (1950) but grew up in New Jersey. She attended the Universities of Chicago and Wisconsin before moving to a farm in Pennsylvania, where she met her future husband Bill Schwartz. Bill Schwartz grew up in and around Philadelphia (b. 1947), and attended Pennsylvania State University. After travelling, and discouraged with life in eastern America, he and Ellen decided that British Columbia held better prospects. Bill and Ellen quit their jobs in 1972 and moved to the Kootenay region where they adopted a “back to the land” lifestyle, a very new experience for both of them. After eight years of modest success, and occasional work in nearby towns, they opted to return to Vancouver where Bill had work and where they could raise a family more easily. They rented in Vancouver for a few years before moving to family housing at UBC, while Ellen studied creative writing. Bill founded a communications and writing company, and in 1988 they purchased a home in Burnaby. Ellen launched a new career as a writer, mainly for children young adults. Both were active in their careers, raising a family, and participating in local social and political activities. Interviewer biography: Eric Damer is a Burnaby Village Museum Interpreter, Museum Registrar, Researcher and Blacksmith. Eric pounded hot steel for the first time in 1977 in junior high. Fifteen years later, he joined Burnaby Village Museum where he has smithed for three decades. He also provides historical research for museum exhibits and special projects. Outside the museum, Eric is a social historian with a special interest in educational history.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Education; Environmental Issues; Environmental Issues - Environmental Protection; Geographic Features; Geographic Features - Parks; Housing; Occupations; Occupations - Entrepreneurs; Occupations - Writers; Persons - Volunteers; Persons - Jewish Canadians; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism; Religions; Religions - Judaism

Names: Schwartz, William "Bill"; Schwartz, Ellen; City of Burnaby; Polestar Communications; British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Responsibility: Damer, Eric

Accession Code: BV023.16.6

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023

Media Type: Sound Recording

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Burnaby Lake Area

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby

Images

Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz, [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023 thumbnail

Documents

2023_0016_0006_004

Audio Tracks

Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz, [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0006_003.mp3

Interview with Shushma Datt and Sudhir Datta

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19611

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1946- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 20 Jan. 2023

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (90 min., 21 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (90 min., 4 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Shushma Datt and her son, Sudhir Datta conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Curator, Jane Lemke and Anushay Malik. 00:00 – 12:47 Interview opens with introductions. Shushma Datt shares information about; where she’s lived in Burnaby sin…

1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: South Asian Canadian Interviews subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (90 min., 21 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (90 min., 4 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewers: Jane Lemke and Anushay Malik Interviewees: Shushma Datt and Sudhir Datta Location of Interview: Spice Radio, Norland Avenue, Burnaby Interview Date: January 20, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:30:21 Digital master recordings (wav) were edited into one recording and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Shushma Datt and her son, Sudhir Datta conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Curator, Jane Lemke and Anushay Malik. 00:00 – 12:47 Interview opens with introductions. Shushma Datt shares information about; where she’s lived in Burnaby since immigrating in 1972 and her arranged marriage which lead her to immigrate to Canada. Datt provides detailed information about her family background in Kenya and her parent’s decision to move their family from Kenya to India in the 1960s and then to England in the 1965. Datt describes her family’s experiences living in Kenya and India in the 1960s and provides some context on the political unrest that happened in Kenya which lead her family to leave. 12:48 - 28:07 Datt talks about her time living in England and shares information on her family life and her employment experiences. Datt conveys an experience from her childhood that inspired her to become a broadcaster and shares her experiences working for the BBC oversees service in England (1965-1972). Datt describes some of the articles that she's written for various publications and the people that she's interviewed. Datt highlights a particular experience about writing a critical review about the controversial design on Jimi Hendrix’s album “Axis: Bold as Love” that depicted Hindu religious iconography. 28:09 – 34:47 Datt and Datta provide further details about Datt's arranged marriage which lead her to immigrate to Canada in 1972 and to work as a broadcaster in Canada. Datt recalls her experiences working as a radio station operator for CHQM, a radio broadcaster for CJVB and starting her own South Asian radio station Rim Jhim in 1987. 34:48 – 40:01 Datt and Datta share information on where they’ve lived in Vancouver and Burnaby. Datt and Datta recall pivotal family life events that impacted their lives in 1974. 40:02 – 45:53 Datt recalls the travel trunks and contents that she and her family brought with them when they left Nairobi. Datt describes the letters that her parents wrote. Datt and Datta describe photos of their family and convey the impacts to their family after two of Datt’s brothers died at 24 years of age. 45:54 – 50:56 Interview continues chronologically from 1974, after Datt’s son, Sudhir Datta was born. Datt describes how she had to work hard to help pay her bills and support her family. Datta describes his childhood growing up as a South Asian child living and attending school in Burnaby (1979-1992). Datt and Datta recall Datt’s graduation ceremony and Datta’s Order of British Columbia awards ceremony. 50:57 – 58:03 Datt and Datta talk about food and cooking and where they’ve shopped for traditional food supplies. Datta explains her family lineage as Hindus who eat meat and how she’s been a vegetarian for over 30 years. Datt and Datta share stories about Datt’s mother Leela Datta. 58:04 – 1:05:38 Both Datt and Datta reflect on what’s it’s been like living as South Asians in Burnaby. Datt conveys the message that she got from her mom, Leela Datta "not to assimilate but to integrate". They both reflect on how the ethnic and cultural diversity of neighbourhoods has changed over time and Datt describes his experiences as a student in Burnaby. 1:05:39 – 1:16:51 Datt and Datta talk about the role of religion in their lives, describe the purpose of Radio Rim Jhim and reflect on how the South Asian community has grown in Metro Vancouver and the disparities created within. They both recall how their lives were threatened and impacted in 1984 following an interview that Datt did with Indira Ghandhi. Datt talks about the origins of her and her son’s surnames. 1:16:52 – 1:26:11 Datt and Datta talk about and reflect on their own experiences of racism and discrimination. Datt talks about Spice Radio’s annual campaign “Raise your hands against Racism”. Datt and Datta provide background on the radio stations Rim Jhim and Spice Radio including; how they got started, their unbiased approach to broadcast content and their experiences in the complex realm of broadcasting a multi-cultural radio station. 1:26:12 – 1:30:04 In closing, Datt and Datta convey what they think that younger generations of South Asian Canadians should understand about the South Asian Community in British Columbia.

History: Interviewees biographies: Shushma Datt was born in Nairobi, Kenya in 1946 and is the second eldest of six children. In the 1960s during the unrest in Kenya, her family moved to India. After about nine months of living in India, Datt's family decided to return to Kenya, leaving Datt and her brother to complete their education in India. While living in India, Datt studied at Delhi University and worked at the Indian newspaper. In 1965, Datt, her parents and five siblings decided to leave Kenya and immigrated to England. While living in England, Datt got work as a broadcaster with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) overseas service, producing her first program in 1969. During her time with the BBC, Datt has interviewed many influential artists including Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles as well as the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. In 1972, Datt immigrated to Canada and settled in Burnaby. In late 1973, Datt sponsored her mother who joined her in Burnaby. Datt joined the CJVB radio station in Vancouver working as the Punjabi and Hindi language broadcaster. Datt worked here until 1978 when she started her own radio station, Radio Rim Jhim. In 2005, Datt obtained her own AM radio band license for a multicultural radio station RJ1200 which was later rebranded "Spice Radio". In 2015, Datt launched Spice Radio's annual "Hands Against Racism" campaign which has won awards from the Government of British Columbia and the B.C. Association of Broadcasters. Datt has also been a producer for Omni TV and Shaw TV and was the first woman to obtain a broadcasting license from the Canadian Radio- Television Telecommunications Commission. In 1992, Shushma Datt was awarded the Order of British Columbia and is also the recipient of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal. Datt has been listed by the Vancouver Sun newspaper as among the 100 "most influential Indo-Canadians" and has been recognized by the Royal British Columbia Museum as one of the 150 "most influential British Columbians". Sudhir Datta is the only child of Sushma Datt and was born in Burnaby. Datta graduated with a computer science degree from Capilano University in 1995. Datta is the Vice President of Media Broadcasting (founded in 1984) creating television and radio programming for Canada's South Asian Community and has been the General Manager and Program Director of Spice Radio since 2006. Datta is also the author of many articles highlighting the South Asian community in Vancouver. Interviewers biographies: Anushay Malik is labor historian with a geographical focus on South Asia. Anushay studied at the University of London and was a research fellow at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In 2014, Anushay moved back to her native Pakistan and joined Lahore University of Management Services as an Assistant Professor. In 2023, Anushay is a visiting scholar at Simon Fraser University and lives in Burnaby with her family. Anushay was a co-curator of the Burnaby Village Museum exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”. Jane Lemke has worked in various museums in the Lower Mainland and has been the Curator at Burnaby Village Museum since 2019. Her educational background includes a Master of Arts degree in History and a Master of Museum Studies degree. Her research focus has been on trauma and memory and its role in shaping Canadian identity. She loves sharing memories and stories of Burnaby with the public. Jane sits on the Council of the BC Museums Association and is the Chair of the BC Museums Association Professional Development and Education Committee.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Migration; Occupations - Broadcasters; Occupations - Entrepreneurs; Occupations - Journalists; Persons - South Asian Canadians; Radio Stations; Religions; Religions - Hinduism; Religions - Sikhism; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism

Names: Datt, Shushma; Datta, Sudhir; Datta, Lila Vati "Leela"; Spice Radio; Rim Jhim

Responsibility: Malik, Anushay; Lemke, Jane

Accession Code: BV023.1.3

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1946- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 20 Jan. 2023

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcript available upon request

Audio Tracks

Interview with Shushma Datt and Sudhir Datta, [1946- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 20 Jan. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0001_0003_003.mp3

2009 World Police and Fire Games sponsorship announcement

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription96550

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2005]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: File

Physical Description: 2 photographs (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: File contains photographs from the announcement of sponsorship for the 2009 World Police and Fire Games in Burnaby at the Copeland Arena. Photographs depict an unidentified RCMP officer during a moment of silence, with the John Robson Elementary School choir in the background, and unidentified fire…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2005]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 2 photographs (tiff) : col.

Description Level: File

Record No.: 535-2172

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: File contains photographs from the announcement of sponsorship for the 2009 World Police and Fire Games in Burnaby at the Copeland Arena. Photographs depict an unidentified RCMP officer during a moment of silence, with the John Robson Elementary School choir in the background, and unidentified fire fighters demonstrating a rope rug-of-war event.

Subjects: Occupations - Fire Fighters; Occupations - Police Officers; Events

Names: Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Burnaby Fire Department; Bill Copeland Sports Centre

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on caption; Collected by editorial for use in a March 2005 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata for 535-2172-1: "A member of the RCMP and the John Robson Elementary School choir pay silent tribute to four RCMP officers who were killed in Alberta, prior to the announcement of sponsorship for the World Police and Fire Games, Tuesday at Copeland Arena."; Caption from metadata for 535-2172-2: "Burnaby firefighters demonstrate the tug-of-war, one of the events that comprise the firefighters' muster, a sports that will be featured at the 2009 World Police and Fire Games."

Geographic Access: Burnaby Lake Sports Complex; Kensington Avenue

Street Address: 3676 Kensington Avenue

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Ardingley-Sprott Area

Images

2009 World Police and Fire Games sponsorship announcement, [2005] thumbnail

Bluey Day event

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97027

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2001]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: File

Physical Description: 2 photographs (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: File contains photographs of Dave Edgecombe, of the Burnaby Fire Department, and Jeff Meyers, of the New Westminster Police, getting their heads shaved by unidentified people during "Bluey Day" at Metrotown Centre, where emergency services personnel volunteer to get their heads shaved to raise mone…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2001]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 2 photographs (tiff) : col.

Description Level: File

Record No.: 535-2559

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: File contains photographs of Dave Edgecombe, of the Burnaby Fire Department, and Jeff Meyers, of the New Westminster Police, getting their heads shaved by unidentified people during "Bluey Day" at Metrotown Centre, where emergency services personnel volunteer to get their heads shaved to raise money for the Michael Cuccione Foundation, Canuck Place and Children's Hospital.

Subjects: Events - Fundraising; Occupations - Fire Fighters; Occupations - Police Officers

Names: Burnaby Fire Department; Metrotown

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on caption; Collected by editorial for use in a June 2001 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata for 535-2559-1: "Dave Edgecombe, of the Burnaby Fire Department, discovers that the path to baldness can be more harrowing than the destination, as he gives up his hair at the annual Bluey Day at Metrotown Centre. More than 50 emergency services personnel from around the Lower Mainland volunteered to get their heads shaved to raise money for the Michael Cuccione Foundation, Canuck Place and Children's Hospital."; Caption from metadata for 535-2559-2: "Jeff Meyers, of the the New Westminster Police, gets a whole new look for the summer at the annual Bluey Day at Metrotown Centre in Burnaby. More than 50 emergency services personnel from around the Lower Mainland volunteered to give up their hair to raise money for the Michael Cuccione Foundation, Canuck Place and Children's Hospital."

Geographic Access: Kingsway

Street Address: 4700 Kingsway

Historic Neighbourhood: Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Maywood Area

Images

Burnaby Fire Prevention Week promotion

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97395

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2002]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: Photograph of Debbie Clyne, the City of Burnaby's acting emergency coordinator, Fred Scarfe and Jim Dixon of the Burnaby Fire Department, and Ronald McDonald lifting cardboard boxes of supplies outside of Lougheed Mall as a promotion for Burnaby's Fire Prevention Week.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2002]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-2770

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of Debbie Clyne, the City of Burnaby's acting emergency coordinator, Fred Scarfe and Jim Dixon of the Burnaby Fire Department, and Ronald McDonald lifting cardboard boxes of supplies outside of Lougheed Mall as a promotion for Burnaby's Fire Prevention Week.

Subjects: Public Services; Occupations - Fire Fighters; Occupations - Civic Workers

Names: Burnaby Fire Department; Lougheed Town Centre

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on caption; Collected by editorial for use in a September 2002 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata: "Ronald McDonald is loaded down with supplies for Burnaby's upcoming Fire Prevention Week, at Lougheed Mall. Helping him with his lifting are Debbie Clyne, the City's acting emergency coordinator, and Fred Scarfe and Jim Dixon of the Burnaby Fire Department."

Geographic Access: Austin Road

Street Address: 9855 Austin Avenue

Historic Neighbourhood: Burquitlam (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Cameron Area

Images

Burnaby Fire Prevention Week promotion, [2002] thumbnail

Dave Thompson, Burnaby RCMP

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription96180

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2005]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: Photograph of Dave Thompson of the Burnaby RCMP, who was seconded to work in Southeast Asia following the tsunami as a forensic photographer. The photograph is a close-up of Thompson, who holds up a camera in front of his face.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2005]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-1877

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of Dave Thompson of the Burnaby RCMP, who was seconded to work in Southeast Asia following the tsunami as a forensic photographer. The photograph is a close-up of Thompson, who holds up a camera in front of his face.

Subjects: Occupations - Photographers; Occupations - Police Officers

Names: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on caption; Collected by editorial for use in a January 2005 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata: "Dave Thompson, of the Burnaby RCMP, says he was taken aback by the scale of the tsunami tragedy in Southeast Asia when he was seconded there to work as a forensic photographer, assisting in the identification of bodies."

Images

Dave Thompson, Burnaby RCMP, [2005] thumbnail

Don Brown with book

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97262

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2000]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: Photograph of Don Brown, a former Burnaby RCMP officer and Burnaby alderman, posing against a police car with a copy of his book: "Why? The Last Years of the British Columbia Provincial Police 1858-1950."

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2000]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-2667

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of Don Brown, a former Burnaby RCMP officer and Burnaby alderman, posing against a police car with a copy of his book: "Why? The Last Years of the British Columbia Provincial Police 1858-1950."

Subjects: Officials - Aldermen and Councillors; Occupations - Police Officers; Occupations - Writers

Names: Brown, Donald N. "Don"

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on caption; Collected by editorial for use in an August 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata: "Retired police officer Don Brown, who's written a book on the history of the old British Columbia Provincial Police force, says its time the province look into re-establishing such a force."

Images

Interview with Eleanor Dricos by Eric Damer October 15, 2012 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory320

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1959-2012

Length: 0:09:12

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to Eleanor (Toebeart) Dricos' memories of getting her music degree and how it influenced her own teaching style. She discusses the music she played on days off as well as competitions, recitals, and exams as well as concerts in the neighbourhood.

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to Eleanor (Toebeart) Dricos' memories of getting her music degree and how it influenced her own teaching style. She discusses the music she played on days off as well as competitions, recitals, and exams as well as concerts in the neighbourhood.

Date Range: 1959-2012

Length: 0:09:12

Subjects: Occupations - Musicians; Occupations - Teachers

Interviewer: Damer, Eric

Interview Date: October 15, 2012

Scope and Content: Recording is an interview with Eleanor (Toebeart) Dricos conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, October 15, 2012. Major themes discussed are: music students and music teachers.

Biographical Notes: Born in Vancouver in 1947 Eleanor Toebaert (later Dricos) and her parents came to the new Parkcrest neighbourhood of Burnaby nine years later. While at Sperling Elementary, Eleanor took group piano lessons with June Perry and began her career studying, playing, and teaching piano. Eleanor finished her schooling at Kensington Junior High and North Burnaby High Schools. During the mid-nineteen-sixties Eleanor often attended concerts at North Burnaby community halls to listen to her fiance’s band play. After getting married, Eleanor (Toebaert) Dricos and her husband settled in Port Coquitlam where she continues to teach private piano lessons.

Total Tracks: 3

Total Length: 0:27:47

Interviewee Name: Dricos, Eleanor Toebeart

Interview Location: Burnaby Village Museum

Interviewer Bio: Eric Damer is a lifelong British Columbian born in Victoria, raised in Kamloops, and currently residing in Burnaby. After studying philosophy at the University of Victoria, he became interested in the educational forces that had shaped his own life. He completed master’s and doctoral degrees in educational studies at the University of British Columbia with a particular interest in the history of adult and higher education in the province. In 2012, Eric worked for the City of Burnaby as a field researcher and writer, conducting interviews for the City Archives and Museum Oral History Program.

Collection/Fonds: Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds

Series: Burna-Boom Oral History Project series

Transcript Available: None

Media Type: Sound Recording

Audio Tracks

Track two of recording of interview with Eleanor Dricos

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS171-008/MSS171-008_Track_2.mp3

Interview with Harman Pandher

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19609

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1968- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 5 Jan. 2023

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (105 min., 23 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (101 min., 39 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Harman Pandher conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. 00:00 - 37:38 Interview opens with Harman Pandher sharing information on his oldest living relative, Kirpal Singh Pandher who immigrated to Canada arou…

1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: South Asian Canadian Interviews subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (105 min., 23 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (101 min., 39 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewer: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Harman Pandher Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: January 5, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks:1:45:23 min Digital master recordings (wav) were edited into one recording and converted to mp3 format for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Harman Pandher conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. 00:00 - 37:38 Interview opens with Harman Pandher sharing information on his oldest living relative, Kirpal Singh Pandher who immigrated to Canada around 1968. The interview continues with Harman Pandher providing details about his childhood in Burnaby while occasionally sharing photographs with the interviewer. He provides detailed descriptions of the homes and neighbourhoods while living on Second Street and 15th Avenue and shares his experiences as a South Asian Sikh attending Second Street elementary school, Cariboo Hill Secondary School and Kahlsa School. Pandher recalls some of his family and childhood experiences including, family events and gatherings; participation in school clubs and sports; playing basketball, ball hockey and street hockey with his Punjabi friends and other Burnaby kids; racism that he faced as a Sikh wearing a turban and delivering newspapers for the Vancouver Sun. 37:39 – 52:54 Pandher talks about family and cultural celebrations and traditions within the Sikh community including Vaisakhi, Diwali and celebrations of the birth of Guru Ravidas and Guru Nanak. Pandher conveys that while he was growing up many of these events took place in Vancouver but now they are also celebrated in Burnaby. He recalls events that took place in school while growing up in Burnaby including; his sister wearing a Sari to a fashion show; a visit to a Sikh temple; celebrating the birthday of Guru Nanak and outreach to teachers to learn about South Asian culture, games, food and traditions. Pandher also shares his experiences working as a student teacher at Capital Hill Elementary in North Burnaby where he took his class on a tour of the Sikh temple in 2001 and reflects on learning that it is his responsibility to be proactive in educating the public in his own culture while also learning about other communities. 52:55 - 1:19:56 Pandher shares personal experiences of racism and his experiences as a teacher and author. He recalls and reflects on a traumatic experience where he was physically assaulted while shopping at Lougheed Mall and recollects his father carrying around his field hockey stick in his car to defend himself. Pandher reflects on the lack of representation of racialized people like himself within the school curriculum while he was growing up which lead him to become a teacher and an author of children’s literature. Pander provides detailed information on his education and training in becoming a teacher, his love of poetry and literature and how he became an author. Pandher describes some of the works of poetry and literature that he’s written about the Sikh religion, history and culture, growing up as a Sikh Canadian and a non-fiction work about the history of Paldi titled "Welcome to Paldi: A Place for Everyone". Pandher also talks about beginning to record some of his own family stories from relatives. 1:19:57 - 1:29:58 Pandher talks about raising his own family in Burnaby, living as an extended family with his parents, his son’s education and Pandher's experience on the Burnaby School Board (2011-2018) . Pandher shares locations of residences that he and his family have lived before living at their current home on 17th Avenue. Pandher explains that since he was a teacher in Surrey, his son attended Khalsa School as well as public elementary and high school in Surrey but did his extracurricular activities in Burnaby where the family lived. 1:29:56 – 1:41:39 In closing, Harman Pandher reflects and shares what he hopes for younger generations of South Asian Canadians and future generations. Pandher articulates “be who you are, stay true to who you are, maintain your family’s traditions, learn their stories, learn their story and how they got to Burnaby”. He conveys that even though there’s more work to be done eliminating racism completely he sees the importance in volunteering, teaching others about yourself and making an effort to learn all parts of Burnaby and other cultures represented here. Pandher speaks about his concerns of youths falling victim to a lifestyle of drugs and gangs and how it’s important to remove the stigma around mental health issues.

History: Interviewee biography: Harman Pandher was born in Vancouver in 1976 to parents, Rajinder and Raj Pandher who immigrated to Canada in 1973. A few weeks later after Harman was born, the family moved to Burnaby. While living in Burnaby, Harman Pandher and his sister attended Second Street Elementary School and Cariboo Hill Secondary School. Pandher obtained a master's degree in education from the University of British Columbia and has worked as an elementary school teacher for over 20 years. Pandher has been recognized for his efforts in building bridges across communities as the recipient of the 2021 B.C. Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Award. Pandher has served on the Board of the Burnaby Multicultural Society and is co-founder of two noon-profit organizations; “Through SONG” (Seeking Oneness for the Next Generation) “About bringing youth together form diverse backgrounds and using their talent in the community for good causes” and "SACH" (South Asian Community Hub) providing one-stop services for those impacted by alchohol and substance use and mental health issues. Harman Pandher is also the author of two children's books titled, "Gurpreet Goes to Gurdwara: Understanding the Sikh Place of Worship" and "Once Upon the Golden Temple: A Journey to Sri Harmandir Sahib". Interviewer biography: Kate Petrusa is the Assistant Curator at the Burnaby Village Museum. In her role, she manages all aspects of the collection – including caring for physical artifacts and making their digital counterpart accessible. Before coming to Burnaby Village Museum in 2019, Kate has worked at several Museums around the Lower Mainland as a Curator and contractor since 2013.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Education; Occupations - Teachers; Occupations - Writers; Persons - South Asian Canadians; Religions; Religions - Sikhism; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism; Sports - Basketball; Sports

Names: Pandher, Harman; Second Street School; Cariboo Hill Secondary School

Responsibility: Petrusa, Kate

Geographic Access: 2nd Street; 15th Avenue

Accession Code: BV023.1.1

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1968- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 5 Jan. 2023

Media Type: Sound Recording

Historic Neighbourhood: East Burnaby (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Second Street Area

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcript available upon request

Audio Tracks

Interview with Harman Pandher, [1968- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 5 Jan. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0001_0001_003.mp3

Interview with Maninder Arora

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19351

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1974-2022] (interview content), interviewed 7 Dec. 2022

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (67 min., 25 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (66 min., 45 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Maninder Arora conducted by Anushay Malik with assistance from Museum Registrar James Binks. 0:00 – 07:33 Interview opens with introductions. Maninder Arora shares her immigration story and how she came to emigrate from India to Canada…

1 document 1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: South Asian Canadian Interviews subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (67 min., 25 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (66 min., 45 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewers: Anushay Malik Co interviewer: James Binks Interviewee: Maninder Arora Location of Interview: In Burnaby at the home of Maninder Arora Interview Date: December 7, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: (01:07:25) Digital master recordings (wav) were edited into one recording and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Maninder Arora conducted by Anushay Malik with assistance from Museum Registrar James Binks. 0:00 – 07:33 Interview opens with introductions. Maninder Arora shares her immigration story and how she came to emigrate from India to Canada at 16 years of age with her mother, her older sister (18 yrs) and her younger brother (11 yrs) in 1974. Maninder explains how her sister immigrated first after marrying a South Asian Canadian and subsequently was able to sponsor members of her family to immigrate about one year later. Arora describes what life was like for her and her family in the northern part of Punjab in India prior to immigration to Canada. Arora describes her family composition with her being the second youngest of eight children and how at the time of immigrating, four of her elder siblings (three sisters and one brother) stayed behind. 07:34 – 16:23 As a new immigrant to Canada at the age of 16 years of age, Maninder Arora recalls the many challenges that she faced. Maninder describes how she attended Vancouver Technical School and then worked at a restaurant on Friday nights and weekends. She recollects how she got her first job through the Sikh community from the Akali Singh Sikh Gurdwara on Fraser Street. Maninder recalls that during the first five months in Canada, Maninder, her mother, sister and brother lived with her elder sister, her husband and child before finding a place of their own. Arora recalls where her family shopped for traditional Indian spices and foods. 16:24 – 25:50 Maninder Arora describes the next home that her family moved to and how she and her brother attended David Thompson Secondary School. Maninder explains that she dropped out of school in Grade 12 to go to work full time to help her family repay the debt that they owed for their immigration expenses. Around 1981, her mother was able to purchase a house at Marine Drive and Ross Street and her mother got work at the same restaurant that Maninder was working. Maninder shares and reflects on a disturbing encounter of racism that she and her older sister faced while taking local transit. 25:51 – 34:17 Maninder Arora talks about her past work experience. Maninder describes how with the help of her sister, she began working as a nurses' aide at care homes and private hospitals. Maninder reflects on how she intended to get a job in a unionized care home where she can make a better living wage. Maninder describes some of the places that she worked before obtaining certification as a nurse’s aide from Kwantlen College. 34;18 – 51:15 Maninder Arora describes the events that led to her marrying her future husband in 1986 and how it wasn’t an easy decision for her. Maninder describes where she and her family lived after her marriage and how her hard work led her to obtaining full time employment as a nurses' aide in Richmond. 51:16 - 56:16 Maninder Arora tells of how she decided to move to Burnaby where her sister and extended family were living. Maninder recalls what lead to her decision to move from Surrey to Burnaby in 1992. 56:17 - 1:04:23 Maninder Arora shares some experiences of her life in Burnaby. Maninder further reflects on her decisions for moving to Burnaby including providing what she thought would be a safer environment and education for her children. Maninder conveys how racism is still very much prevalent in society and recounts a personal encounter that she experienced while shopping for shoes at Metrotown. 1:04:24 – 1:06:45 The interviewer asks Maninder Arora what she would like to see conveyed as a message for younger people in an upcoming exhibit at Burnaby Village Museum on South Asian history. Maninder conveys that she would like all Canadian citizens living in Burnaby to make the environment better by not littering, living peacefully together and not causing people grief or struggle for nothing, “Be kind to each other”. In closing Arora shares the transportation route she took when emigrating from India to Canada.

History: Interviewee biography: Maninder Arora was born in the northern part of Punjab, India. Her sister immigrated to Canada in 1974 after marrying a South Asian Canadian. In 1975, after her father died, her sister was able to bring her mother, her 11 year old brother and Maninder at 16 years of age. After arriving in British Columbia, they first lived with her sister and family before finding a place of their own. Maninder attended Vancouver Technical School and later David Thompson Secondary School and worked in a restaurant on weekends to help her family out. Maninder and her family were members of the Sikh community and attended Akali Singh Sikh Gurdwara on Fraser Street. Maninder left school in Grade 12 to work full time to help her family repay the debt that they owed for their immigration expenses. In the early 1980’s Maninder’s family moved to a house near Marine Drive and Ross Street that her mother was able to purchase. With the help of her sister, Maninder got work as a nurses’ aide at care homes and private hospitals which eventually led her to obtaining certification from Kwantlen College. Maninder married in 1986 and had two children while living in Richmond. Around 1992, she moved from Surrey to Burnaby to be closer to her sister and to provide as safer environment for her children. Interviewers' biographies: Anushay Malik is labor historian with a geographical focus on South Asia. Anushay studied at the University of London and was a research fellow at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In 2014, Anushay moved back to her native Pakistan and joined Lahore University of Management Services as an Assistant Professor. In 2023, Anushay is a visiting scholar at Simon Fraser University and lives in Burnaby with her family. Anushay was a co-curator of the Burnaby Village Museum exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”. James Binks has lived in the Lower Mainland since 2009 after relocating from Ontario. James holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia, where he conducted researched on heritage, environment, and globalization in India, Nepal, and Italy. At Burnaby Village Museum, James contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Persons - South Asian Canadians; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism; Occupations; Occupations - Nurses; Migration

Names: Arora, Maninder

Responsibility: Malik, Anushay; Binks, James

Accession Code: BV022.29.6

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1974-2022] (interview content), interviewed 7 Dec. 2022

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby

Documents

2022_0029_0006_004

Audio Tracks

Interview with Maninder Arora, [1974-2022] (interview content), interviewed 7 Dec. 2022

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0006_003.mp3

Metrotown apartment building fire

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97494

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2002]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: Photograph of investigators from the Burnaby Fire Department and the Burnaby RCMP outside of an apartment building, following a fire.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [2002]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-2833

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of investigators from the Burnaby Fire Department and the Burnaby RCMP outside of an apartment building, following a fire.

Subjects: Natural Phenomena - Fires; Occupations - Fire Fighters; Occupations - Police Officers

Names: Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Burnaby Fire Department

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bartel, Mario

Notes: Title based on caption; Collected by editorial for use in an October 2002 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader; Caption from metadata: "Investigators from the Burnaby Fire Department and Burnaby RCMP gather evidence at the site of a fatal apartment fire in the Metrotown area."

Historic Neighbourhood: Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Maywood Area

Images

Metrotown apartment building fire, [2002] thumbnail

RCMP Burnaby Detachment 2001 annual report

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary1196

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Author: Craig, Robert D., 1934-

Publication Date: 2001

Call Number: 353.36 RCM

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection: Reference Collection

Material Type: Book

Call Number: 353.36 RCM

Author: Craig, Robert D., 1934-

Publisher: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Publication Date: 2001

Physical Description: 26 p. : col. ill.

Library Subject (LOC): Police; Criminal justice, Administration of; Periodicals

Subjects: Occupations; Occupations - Police Officers; Public Services - Policing; Public Services

Names: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Richard Low and Denis Nokony

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription3344

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: July 1, 2003

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : col. ; 19.5 x 26 cm laser print

Scope and Content: Photograph of (at left) photographer Richard Low and Denis Nokony, Assistant Director Cultural Services, standing in front of the bandstand at the Burnaby Village Museum during the Canada Day Celebration.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : col. ; 19.5 x 26 cm laser print

Scope and Content: Photograph of (at left) photographer Richard Low and Denis Nokony, Assistant Director Cultural Services, standing in front of the bandstand at the Burnaby Village Museum during the Canada Day Celebration.

Subjects: Occupations - Photographers; Occupations - Civic Workers; Celebrations

Names: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV004.35.6

Access Restriction: Restricted access

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: July 1, 2003

Media Type: Photograph

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 09-Jun-09

Scale: 100

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Research

More like 'Frank Battersby'

Narrow Results By

Robin Bridge at Robert Burnaby Park pool

Images

Rosewood Street fire

Images

St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church opening service

Images

Starlite Room fire

Images

Surgeon

Images

Susan Borax of Good Riddance

Images

Terry Waterhouse

Images

Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz

Images

Documents

Audio Tracks

Interview with Shushma Datt and Sudhir Datta

Audio Tracks

2009 World Police and Fire Games sponsorship announcement

Images

Bluey Day event

Images

Burnaby Fire Prevention Week promotion

Images

Dave Thompson, Burnaby RCMP

Images

Don Brown with book

Images

Interview with Eleanor Dricos by Eric Damer October 15, 2012 - Track 2

Audio Tracks

Interview with Harman Pandher

Audio Tracks

Interview with Maninder Arora

Documents

Audio Tracks

Metrotown apartment building fire

Images

RCMP Burnaby Detachment 2001 annual report

Richard Low and Denis Nokony

Images