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Sev Morin (left) of Severin's in Burnaby (formerly the Gai Paree) hosting a gala New Year's celebration, 1979. Item no. 480-712 thumbnail
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Interview with Sev Morin by Rod Fowler April 4, 1990 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory538
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1950-1990
Length
00:06:16
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Sev Morin’s description of Burnaby’s growth and business development along Kingsway and Hastings, the Lake City Industrial Park, and the purchase of property in 1958 for the Heritage Park and Art Gallery.
More detail
1 image 1 audio
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Sev Morin’s description of Burnaby’s growth and business development along Kingsway and Hastings, the Lake City Industrial Park, and the purchase of property in 1958 for the Heritage Park and Art Gallery.
Date Range
1950-1990
Photo Info
Sev Morin (left) of Severin's in Burnaby (formerly the Gai Paree) hosting a gala New Year's celebration, 1979. Item no. 480-712
Length
00:06:16
Subjects
Buildings - Commercial
Buildings - Civic
Buildings - Industrial
Buildings - Schools - Universities and Colleges
Historic Neighbourhood
Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Burnaby Heights Area
Lake City Area
Burnaby Mountain Area
Kingsway-Beresford Area
Douglas-Gilpin Area
Interviewer
Fowler, Rod
Interview Date
April 4, 1990
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with Severin "Sev" Morin, conducted by Rod Fowler. Sev Morin was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is mainly about Sev Morin’s banquet hall, restaurant and night club business on Kingsway, originally named the “Gai Paree Supper Club” (1947-1976) and later “Severin’s” (1976-1985) and “Diego’s” (1985-1994), its function as a Burnaby landmark, and the entertainment and political people he met through his business. He also describes his many volunteer activities in Burnaby, including member of the SFU Senate, Rotary Club, Variety Club and Telethon, fund raising for Burnaby Hospital, and tourism related groups, and his political work for the federal Liberal party. He talks about his parents’ origins, the lives of his brothers Rudy and Rene, and the family’s involvement in establishing the “Gai Paree”. He also shares his views about the business and cultural development of Burnaby. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
Biographical Notes
Severin “Sev” Rene Morin was born September 21, 1927, in Bonneville, Alberta, to Rene Pierre Morin (1878-1963) and Anne Marie (nee Lachiver) Morin (1886-1956). Mr. and Mrs. R. P. Morin and their son Rene Francois (1905-1954) immigrated to Edmonton, Alberta, from France in 1913, where Rene Pierre Morin worked for the C.N.R. and a second son Adolphe “Rudy” Ferdinand (1922-1969) was born, followed by their third son Severin. In 1943, after R.P. Morin retired, the family moved to Burnaby to a house on Sperling Avenue. Sometime earlier the two older Morin brothers found work in Trail at the smelter and developed musical careers. In 1946/47 the Morin family purchased property on Kingsway and built a banquet hall, the “Gai Paree Supper Club”. Sev and Rudy Morin managed the club and Rene F. Morin moved to Burnaby to join them with his band. The supper club, with its live music and dance floor, became a popular meeting place and wedding venue, eventually expanding into a restaurant and nightclub in the 1970s. The “Gai Paree” was renamed “Severin’s” in 1976 and “Diego’s” in 1985, closing finally in 1994. Sev Morin’s business life included three record stores which he owned with his friend Jack Cullen. Through these businesses Sev Morin was well known in the entertainment and hospitality industry. He and his restaurant also hosted political and social events that made the restaurant a community landmark. Sev Morin contributed many volunteer hours to community and charitable organizations, including an appointment to the SFU Senate, fundraising for the Burnaby Hospital, Director of the Variety Club and Rotary Club, and consultant for a variety of tourism related ventures. He also was active in the federal Liberal Party. Sev Morin and his wife Pauline married in 1950 and had three children. Sev Morin died at age 86 on March 28, 2014.
Total Tracks
10
Total Length
00:56:44
Interviewee Name
Morin, Severin "Sev"
Interviewer Bio
Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.
Collection/Fonds
SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds
Series
Centennial Oral History project series
Transcript Available
Transcript available
Media Type
Sound Recording
Web Notes
Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.
Images
Sev Morin (left) of Severin's in Burnaby (formerly the Gai Paree) hosting a gala New Year's celebration, 1979. Item no. 480-712 thumbnail
Audio Tracks

Track two of interview with Sev Morin

Track two of interview with Sev Morin

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-021/MSS187-021_Track%202.mp3
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Tramline tracks, [1905] thumbnail
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Tramline tracks

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription3361
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1905]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 15 x 25.5 cm print
Scope and Content
Photograph of a British Columbia Electric Railway Company tramline track on Sixth Street and Twelfth Avenue. George Leaf's General Store, located at 7745 Sixth Street is visible on the left and Cliff's Car Factory located at 7730 Sixth Street is visible on the right. George Leaf's store burned down…
More detail
1 image
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 15 x 25.5 cm print
Scope and Content
Photograph of a British Columbia Electric Railway Company tramline track on Sixth Street and Twelfth Avenue. George Leaf's General Store, located at 7745 Sixth Street is visible on the left and Cliff's Car Factory located at 7730 Sixth Street is visible on the right. George Leaf's store burned down in 1913. The Car factory was established in 1902 and sometime in the 1920s, it became James Brookes Woodworking Plant.
Subjects
Transportation - Electric Railroads
Buildings - Commercial - General Stores
Buildings - Industrial - Factories
Names
British Columbia Electric Railway Company
Geographic Access
6th Street
12th Avenue
Street Address
7730 6th Street
7745 6th Street
Accession Code
BV995.10.1
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Date
[1905]
Media Type
Photograph
Historic Neighbourhood
East Burnaby (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Edmonds Area
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Tramline tracks, [1905] thumbnail
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