Narrow Results By
Subject
- Agricultural Tools and Equipment 3
- Agricultural Tools and Equipment - Gardening Equipment 2
- Agricultural Tools and Equipment - Plows 1
- Agriculture 12
- Agriculture - Crops 7
- Agriculture - Farms 32
- Agriculture - Fruit and Berries 10
- Agriculture - Orchards 2
- Agriculture - Poultry 3
- Animals 4
- Animals - Cows 6
- Animals - Dogs 3
Creator
- Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums 4
- Bancroft, Rose 1
- Bartel, Mario 7
- Burnaby Community Heritage Commission 1
- Burnaby, Robert, 1828-1878 1
- Burnaby Village Museum 6
- City of Burnaby 1
- Crozier, William, 1833-1904 1
- Damer, Eric 1
- Eagles, Dr. Blythe 1
- Eagles, Dr. Violet 1
- Fong, Denise 2
Agriculture Land Reserve and Treaty Negotiations
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport1591
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 65554
- Meeting Date
- 27-Sep-2004
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 65554
- Meeting Date
- 27-Sep-2004
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Ministry of Agriculture papers
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription64437
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1924-1929
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File of Government of Northern Ireland Ministry of Agriculture papers pertaining to poultry farming (sent to R. Bancroft of Edmonds).
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1924-1929
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Bancroft family subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Material Details
- Mailing envelope accompanying papers reads: "Mr. R. Bancroft, / Edmonds P.O., / New Westminster, B.C., / CANADA."
- Description Level
- File
- Record No.
- MSS110-025
- Accession Number
- BHS2004-06
- Scope and Content
- File of Government of Northern Ireland Ministry of Agriculture papers pertaining to poultry farming (sent to R. Bancroft of Edmonds).
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Title based on contents of file
Nomination for GVRD Agriculture Advisory Committee
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport2652
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 64501
- Meeting Date
- 3-Mar-2003
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 64501
- Meeting Date
- 3-Mar-2003
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Drs. Blythe and Violet Eagles Estate
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark535
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Description
- The Drs. Blythe and Violet Eagles Estate is a one hectare property located within Deer Lake Park in Burnaby. The property encompasses a carefully conceived garden of local, non-conventional, and exotic plantings. Conceived as a series of rockeries and terraces, the garden cascades from the house do…
- Associated Dates
- 1929
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Other Names
- Eagles Estate Heritage Garden
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Other Names
- Eagles Estate Heritage Garden
- Geographic Access
- Sperling Avenue
- Associated Dates
- 1929
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Enactment Type
- Bylaw No. 11592
- Enactment Date
- 15/09/2003
- Description
- The Drs. Blythe and Violet Eagles Estate is a one hectare property located within Deer Lake Park in Burnaby. The property encompasses a carefully conceived garden of local, non-conventional, and exotic plantings. Conceived as a series of rockeries and terraces, the garden cascades from the house down towards the waterfront, divided by paths and strips of plantings.
- Heritage Value
- The Eagles Estate is significant because of its unique character within Burnaby’s Deer Lake Park heritage precinct, and the people who were its creators and residents. The garden is a unique expression of the talents and tastes of both the Eagles and Frank Ebenezer Buck (1875-1970). Buck served as the Assistant Dominion Horticulturist in charge of landscape horticulture and floriculture in Ottawa from 1912. In 1920, he was head of the Horticultural Department and the Campus Landscape Architect at the University of British Columbia. He established the plan for the Eagles garden while Dr. Blythe Alfred Eagles (1902-1990), the long-time Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at UBC, selected many of the plantings. The Eagles themselves designed the house as a romantic cottage inspired by the British Arts and Crafts style. Trained in enzyme chemistry, Dr. Violet Evelyn (Dunbar) Eagles (1899-1994) was an enthusiastic amateur gardener, and was perhaps the driving force behind the maintenance and continued development of the garden. The Eagles were also well known in Burnaby for their active volunteerism in the local community as well as at UBC. When Simon Fraser University opened in Burnaby as the Greater Vancouver’s second university, the Eagles, in particular Violet, became well-known for entertaining dignitaries and special guests of the university in their lavish garden. Drs. Blythe and Violet Eagles were recognized for their good citizenship and the ongoing use of their garden for charitable Burnaby-based functions and celebrations.
- Defining Elements
- Due to the extensive and varied nature of the garden, the character-defining elements of the Eagles Estate are many and complex. The elements that encompass the character of the site include its: - British Arts and Crafts-inspired house with original exterior features such as a picturesque roofline, stucco cladding and six- and eight-paned steel-frame casement windows, and original interior features such as the central fireplace, wood floors and kitchen cabinetry - formal staircase leading to the north (formal entry) side of the house - carefully planned yet informal garden design, with 'garden rooms' used to create intimacy - terraced landscape cascading from the house down to the garden - incorporation of local, exotic, flowering and non-flowering plants. - contrast of manicured versus freely growing landscape elements - use of wood lattice fencing gates, arbors and trellis
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Morley-Buckingham Area
- Community
- Burnaby
- Cadastral Identifier
- P.I.D. No. 007-302-801 Legal Description: Lot 143, District Lot 85, Group 1, New Westminster District, Plan 36335
- Boundaries
- The Eagles Estate is comprised of a single municipally-owned property located at 5655 Sperling Avenue, Burnaby.
- Area
- 6,403.91
- Contributing Resource
- Building
- Landscape Feature
- Documentation
- Heritage Site Files: PC77000 20. City of Burnaby Planning and Building Department, 4949 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C., V5G 1M2
- Street Address
- 5655 Sperling Avenue
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
Images
Big Bend Neighbourhood
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark840
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1955-2008
- Heritage Value
- The Big Bend Neighbourhood in Burnaby maintained its status as an important agricultural area in the City in the years following 1955 and it also solidified its role as a prime industrial and commercial district. In 1972, the Big Bend Development Plan was adopted by Council and soon thereafter, approximately 620 acres of land were incorporated into the Agricultural Land Reserve. These lands have been set aside for agricultural and limited recreation purposes. By the 2000s, 160 acres of land were considered highly productive agricultural areas, and over 400 acres of land had been secured as parkland, including the Fraser Foreshore Park. The area also developed large commercial and industrial districts including those at Marine Way/Boundary, the Glenlyon Estates, Riverfront Business Park, Burnaby Business Park, and Glenwood Industrial Estates.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Big Bend Area
Images
Burnaby Lake Neighbourhood
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark755
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1905-1924
- Heritage Value
- Along with logging and sawmills, Burnaby became known as a prime agricultural area and the Burnaby Lake Neighbourhood saw the development of many vegetable and fruit farms. Growers in the Burnaby and Deer Lake districts took their produce to the tram line on Edmonds Street and shipped it to markets in New Westminster and Vancouver on a specially designed interurban freight car that was open-sided for easy loading. The car's canvas curtains which sometimes came loose and flapped like wings in the wind led people to dub it "the flying dutchman." Most Burnaby fruit and vegetable growers depended on seasonal Chinese work forces and other local Chinese farm residents to oversee operations; these workers being recruited from New Westminsters' Asian community. Besides being good farmers, Burnaby Lake's early residents fostered a strong sense of community. Both L. Claude Hill and his brother Bernard were elected to Burnaby Municipal council and Bernard was the one who knocked on doors to find enough children to meet the qualifications for establishing a school in the district.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Morley-Buckingham Area
- Lakeview-Mayfield Area
Images
Fraser Arm Neighbourhood
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark708
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1925-1954
- Heritage Value
- By the late 1920s, the Fraser Arm Neighbourhood in Burnaby was developing into an industrial and manufacturing district. In 1931, the Canadian National Railway built a bridge over the Fraser River from Burnaby to Lulu Island and advertised that over 30 industries were currently operating along the North Fraser. Along with industries, this district remained an important agricultural area for the Lower Mainland. Chinese market gardens continued to develop and thrive and in 1926, the Vancouver Sun estimated that that Chinese farms in the Lower Fraser Valley then supplied 90 per cent of all green vegetables consumed in the Vancouver market area.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Big Bend Area
Images
Fraser Arm Neighbourhood
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark767
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1905-1924
- Heritage Value
- Fraser Arm - so named because there the tram crossed Gilley Avenue, running down to the North Arm of the Fraser River - was served by the River Road [Marine Drive] which traversed the municipality of Burnaby, leading to both New Westminster and Vancouver. This area did not experience a real estate boom during the 1909-1913 as did many other Burnaby neighbourhoods - in fact, by 1912, only three homes had been built along Riverway as it remained a predominantly agricultural area.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Big Bend Area
Images
Agricultural Exhibit
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34526
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1925
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.4 x 25.3 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby's Agricultural Exhibit at New Westminster. Vegetables, fruit, plants, flowers, and trees are on display inside a building. There is electric lighting. A sign on the right is shaped like an arch and reads, "Welcome to Burnaby." A mural showing Burnaby Lake is behind the dis…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1925
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.4 x 25.3 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 038-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby's Agricultural Exhibit at New Westminster. Vegetables, fruit, plants, flowers, and trees are on display inside a building. There is electric lighting. A sign on the right is shaped like an arch and reads, "Welcome to Burnaby." A mural showing Burnaby Lake is behind the display.
- Subjects
- Agriculture - Crops
- Exhibitions - Agricultural
- Agriculture - Fruit and Berries
- Plants - Flowers
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Agricultural Exhibit
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34527
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1920]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.4 x 25.3 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby's Agricultural Exhibit at New Westminster. Vegetables, fruit, preserves, flowers, and plants are on display inside a building. There is electric lighting. A sign above the display reads, "Burnaby." A sign above a container on the lower left reads, "Ginseng / Grown in Lozel…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1920]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.4 x 25.3 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 039-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby's Agricultural Exhibit at New Westminster. Vegetables, fruit, preserves, flowers, and plants are on display inside a building. There is electric lighting. A sign above the display reads, "Burnaby." A sign above a container on the lower left reads, "Ginseng / Grown in Lozells District by Mr. Romer."
- Subjects
- Agriculture - Crops
- Exhibitions - Agricultural
- Agriculture - Fruit and Berries
- Plants - Flowers
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Agricultural Exhibit
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34528
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1921
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.4 x 25.4 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby's Agricultural Exhibit at New Westminster. Tables with fruit, vegetables and flowers are displayed. Greenery and photographs (mainly of people) are on the walls, including a portrait of former Reeve Nicolai C. Schou (second portrait from right). A sign in the corner reads, …
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1921
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.4 x 25.4 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 040-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby's Agricultural Exhibit at New Westminster. Tables with fruit, vegetables and flowers are displayed. Greenery and photographs (mainly of people) are on the walls, including a portrait of former Reeve Nicolai C. Schou (second portrait from right). A sign in the corner reads, "Burnaby's Exhibit," and a mural hangs on the walls above the exhibit. A woman and man are standing behind a table at the back left.
- Subjects
- Agriculture - Crops
- Exhibitions - Agricultural
- Agriculture - Fruit and Berries
- Plants - Flowers
- Documentary Artifacts - Photographs
- Media Type
- Photograph
Images
Burnaby Agricultural Exhibition
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34529
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1920]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.5 x 25.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby's Agricultural Exhibit at New Westminster. Fruits, vegetables and flowers are displayed on tables. Greenery and photographs (mainly of people) are on the walls, including a portrait of former Reeve Nicolai C. Schou (second portrait from right). A sign in the corner reads, "…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1920]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.5 x 25.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 040-002
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby's Agricultural Exhibit at New Westminster. Fruits, vegetables and flowers are displayed on tables. Greenery and photographs (mainly of people) are on the walls, including a portrait of former Reeve Nicolai C. Schou (second portrait from right). A sign in the corner reads, "Burnaby's Exhibit," and a mural hangs on the walls above the exhibit. Two men are standing behind a table in the centre.
- Subjects
- Agriculture - Crops
- Exhibitions - Agricultural
- Agriculture - Fruit and Berries
- Plants - Flowers
- Documentary Artifacts - Photographs
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Cram family fruit stand
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35703
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1920 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Cram roadside fruit stand on Kingsway with Mary Cram in front. The Cram family sold fruit, produce, honey, and cottage cheese from their farm at Kingsway and what is now 6515 Denbigh Avenue. The stand was located directly in front of the Cram-Tidball family home.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1920 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Pioneer Tales subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 204-561
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1988-03
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Cram roadside fruit stand on Kingsway with Mary Cram in front. The Cram family sold fruit, produce, honey, and cottage cheese from their farm at Kingsway and what is now 6515 Denbigh Avenue. The stand was located directly in front of the Cram-Tidball family home.
- Names
- Vogt, Mary Cram
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Denbigh Avenue
- Street Address
- 6515 Denbigh Avenue
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Windsor Area
Images
Development on Big Bend agricultural land
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription95885
- 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 Burnaby citizens concerned about industrial and big box retail development in the Big Bend area. One photograph shows Shawn Wade leaning against a fence next to a sign that reads "Western Garden Soil Mushroom Manure Bark Mulch." The other photograph shows Ed Leong holdi…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [2000]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
- Physical Description
- 2 photographs (tiff) : col.
- Description Level
- File
- Record No.
- 535-1685
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No restrictions
- Accession Number
- 2018-12
- Scope and Content
- File contains photographs of Burnaby citizens concerned about industrial and big box retail development in the Big Bend area. One photograph shows Shawn Wade leaning against a fence next to a sign that reads "Western Garden Soil Mushroom Manure Bark Mulch." The other photograph shows Ed Leong holding soil in the fields at Leong's Nursery.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Bartel, Mario
- Notes
- Title based on caption
- Collected by editorial for use in a November 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
- Caption from metadata for 535-1685-1: "Shawn Wade is concerned the City of Burnaby's plans to allow big box retail development in the Big Bend area along Marine Way would threaten the unique agricultural flavor of the area, including nurseries, and the allotment gardens."
- Caption from metadata for 535-1685-2: "Ed Leong, who's run Leong's Nursery since the 1960s, says industrial development in the Big Bend area has already destroyed his ability to grow crops like Chinese vegetables, green onions, lettuce and carrots, as water gets trapped in the already boggy soil by surrounding landfill."
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Big Bend Area
Images
Elsie Nicholson
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38241
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1921]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 12.2 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Elsie Nicholson standing next to the horse named "Holly" at the Nicholson farm in the area of Boundary Road and the C.N.R. rail line. The barns and farm outbuildings can be seen in the background.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1921]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Margaret McCallum subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 12.2 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 375-002
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1986-42
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Elsie Nicholson standing next to the horse named "Holly" at the Nicholson farm in the area of Boundary Road and the C.N.R. rail line. The barns and farm outbuildings can be seen in the background.
- Subjects
- Agriculture - Farms
- Occupations - Farmers
- Agriculture - Crops
- Transportation - Horses
- Animals - Dogs
- Transportation - Wagons
- Names
- Nicholson, Elsie
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Boundary Road
- Street Address
- 2550 Boundary Road
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Broadview (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- West Central Valley Area
Images
E.W. Nicholson at his farm
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38240
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1921]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 12.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of E.W. Nicholson, haying on his farm at Boundary Road and the Canadian National Railway tracks with his horse "Holly."
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1921]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Margaret McCallum subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 12.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 375-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1986-42
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of E.W. Nicholson, haying on his farm at Boundary Road and the Canadian National Railway tracks with his horse "Holly."
- Subjects
- Agriculture - Farms
- Occupations - Farmers
- Agriculture - Crops
- Transportation - Horses
- Animals - Dogs
- Transportation - Wagons
- Names
- Nicholson, E.W.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Boundary Road
- Street Address
- 2550 Boundary Road
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Broadview (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- West Central Valley Area
Images
Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19349
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (wav) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (49 min., 21 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of an oral history interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. Raj Chouhan shares his ancestral background and personal experiences immigrating to Canada from India in 1973 and living and working in Canada as an immigrant…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (wav) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (49 min., 21 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Honourable Raj Chouhan Location of Interview: Residence of Honourable Raj Chouhan Interview Date: December 2, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: (00:49:21) Digital master recording (wav) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of an oral history interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. Raj Chouhan shares his ancestral background and personal experiences immigrating to Canada from India in 1973 and living and working in Canada as an immigrant and the organizations that he became involved with. Honourable Raj Chouhan recalls how he arrived in Burnaby with his family in 1973 and that his family worked in farming. Chouhan imparts his first hand experiences as a new immigrant working as a labourer in the farming industry and describes the unsafe and unfair working conditions that he and migrant workers faced. Chouhan conveys how this experience lead him to become an activist for better working conditions for migrant workers. This lead Chouhan and others to form the Canadian Farm Workers Union in 1980. Chouhan recollects his experiences flying from India to Canada with his wife, his first impressions after arriving in Vancouver and driving to Burnaby and what he brought with him. Chouhan explains his connections to Burnaby. Members of Chouhan's wife's family immgrated to Canada in 1957 and his wife and her three brothers joined them in 1970. Chouhan's father in law, Hardial Singh Grewal immigrated in 1957 and became president of the Sikh temple in New Westminster. Hardial Singh Grewal worked in a lumber mill in Vancouver and eventually bought a house in Burnaby. Chouhan married to his wife at the Sikh temple in New Westminster and lived in Burnaby for a period before moving to New Westminster where they could find more affordable housing. Chouhan shares that he first worked as a farm labourer in Abbotsford and then found a job in the sawmill which paid more. Chouhan describes the extreme racism and discrimination that he and other immigrants faced which lead to the formation of the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism under the leadership of Dr. Hari Prakash Sharma. Chouhan describes this organization that he was a part of and the Canadian Farm Workers Union that were both formed in Burnaby. Chouhan shares that he moved to Victoria in 1988 to serve on the Hospital Employee's Union and moved back to the mainland in 1993 and returned to Burnaby in 2001. Chouhan reflects on the history of South Asian immigration in Canada, how many of the migrants settled in the lower mainland including Burnaby, New Westminster and Vancouver establishing temples in Vancouver and New Westminster which became the centre for the South Asian community. He conveys how earlier occupations were limited to farming and millwork and how over time employment opportunities and education have broadened but there is still work to do. He imparts how second generation Canadians’ experiences differ from first generations providing examples of his own daughters’ and the occupations that they are working in. Chouhan provides his insights into the South Asian Canadian experience imparting “We make history every day and that history needs to be recorded and learned from.."... “People from different communities, different backgrounds who lived in Burnaby have contributed so much and South Asians are just like another community and participated in all aspects of social life, cultural, religious, economy. I'm so proud of our community, our forefathers who had that vision to fight for our rights. I'm inspired by people who struggled so much to gain basic rights, like the right to vote". Chouhan refers to these first immigrants as “Gadri Babbas” “revolutionary old people” who were also the main motivation that lead to India becoming a free country in 1947 and for fighting for basic rights here in Canada and how they made their contributions for future generations. Chouhan expresses what he imparts to students “Do not forget your past... if you remember your past then you are much more knowledgeable. Then we know what we need for the future. If we don't know the past, we don't know what the future is going to be like. To make a better future, you have to learn from the past and improve".
- History
- Interviewee biography: Honourable Raj Chouhan was born in the city of Ludhiana in the Province of Punjab in India and immigrated to Canada in 1973. After arriving in Canada, Raj's family settled in Burnaby. Raj grew up in Burnaby and attended schoool. Honourable Raj Chouhan was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as the MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds in 2005 and was re-elected in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2020. He was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on December 7, 2020. Honourable Chouhan is the founding president of the Canadian Farmworkers Union and the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism and has served as a director of the Hospital Employees' Union, the Labour Relations Board of B.C. and the Arbitration Bureau of B.C. Honourable Chouhan has also served as the Vice President of B.C. Human Rights Defenders since 2003 and has taught courses in Human Rights, the B.C. Labour Code and Collective Bargaining since 1987. 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
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Occupations - Agricultural Labourers
- Migration
- Organizations - Unions
- Rights
- Rights - Human Rights
- Agriculture
- Agriculture - Farms
- Government - Provincial Government
- Government
- Names
- Chouhan, Raj
- British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism
- Sharma, Dr. Hari Prakash
- Grewal, Hardial Singh
- Canadian Farmworkers Union
- Hospital Employees Union
- Khalsa Diwan Society
- Responsibility
- Petrusa, Kate
- Accession Code
- BV022.29.4
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022
Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0004_002.mp3Price Strawberry farm
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35946
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1920 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.6 x 12.7 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Price Strawberry farm at 5220 Royal Oak Avenue. Oakalla Prison Farm can be seen in the background.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1920 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Pioneer Tales subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.6 x 12.7 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 204-806
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1988-03
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Price Strawberry farm at 5220 Royal Oak Avenue. Oakalla Prison Farm can be seen in the background.
- Names
- Oakalla Prison Farm
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Oakmount Crescent
- Street Address
- 5220 Oakmount Crescent
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Oakalla Area
Images
Shawn Wade in Big Bend
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97571
- 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 Shawn Wade standing on the shoulder of a road in the Big Bend area. A farm and forested area are visible in the background.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [2002]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph (tiff) : col.
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 535-2910
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No restrictions
- Accession Number
- 2018-12
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Shawn Wade standing on the shoulder of a road in the Big Bend area. A farm and forested area are visible in the background.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Bartel, Mario
- Notes
- Title based on caption
- Collected by editorial for use in a January 2002 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
- Caption from metadata: "Shawn Wade fears the unique rural character of Burnaby's Big Bend area will die if Burnaby council approves a plan for commercial development."
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Big Bend Area
Images
ALHFAM bulletin, fall 2009, volume xxxvix, no. 3
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary6683
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection
- Reference Collection
- Material Type
- Textual Record
- ISBN
- 0047-4851
- Call Number
- 631.074 ALH Fall 2009
- Place of Publication
- North Bloomfield, Ohio
- Publisher
- Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums
- Publication Date
- 2009
- Physical Description
- 40 p. : ill. ; 28 cm.
- Library Subject (LOC)
- Historic farms
- Agricultural museums
- Periodicals
- Subjects
- Agriculture