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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.
- 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
- Transcript Available
- Transcript available
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track two of interview with 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
postcard
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact45377
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- BV003.18.1
- Description
- Postcard: colour aerial photo of Simon Fraser University; horizontal; on reverse in black, "SFU" "SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY" "BURNABY 2 / BC / CANADA," "Aerial Looking East" "FC 129"; horizontal lines above and below print; borders around left and right sides divide card in half horizontally; along bottom left, "Photo: Fred Thompson" "MADE IN CANADA BY EVERGREEN PRESS LIMITED", "FIDELITY PRESS" and logo; at upper right of right side, "STAMP" with line above and below; lightly soiled, some wear on corners, including crease at upper left of photo side; unused
- Classification
- Written Communication T&E - - Writing Media
- Object Term
- Postcard
- Subjects
- Documentary Artifacts
- Documentary Artifacts - Postcards
- Documentary Artifacts - Photographs
- Buildings
- Buildings - Schools
- Buildings - Schools - Universities and Colleges
- Names
- Simon Fraser University
Images
postcard
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact48610
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- BV005.41.4
- Description
- Postcard: colour aerial photo of Simon Fraser University; horizontal; on reverse in navy, "N.W. 49" "SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY" "N. Burnaby (Vancouver), B.C. Canada" "The aerial view shows..."; illustration of R.C.M.P. officer at left; at bottom left, "S-2587"; navy line up centre with "NATURAL COLOR PRODUCTIONS, LTD., VANCOUVER, B.C."; at bottom, "MADE IN CANADA" "GRANT-MANN", logo; at upper right, illustration of mounted R.C.M.P. officer, "POST CARD" "ADDRESS"; large beige stamp at upper right corner, "6" "VINCENT MASSEY 1887-1967" "GOVERNOR GENERAL" "GOUVERNEUR GENERAL" "1952-1959" "CANADA"; round postmark "VANCOUVER B.C." "7 -M" "OCT --" "19-9"; rectangular cancellation "HADASSAH BAZAAR" "P.N.E. SHOWMART" "PURE FOODS BLDG." "OCT.22 - --"; addressed in pencil, "Mr. Russell H. Lane" "Box 898," "High River, Alberta"; message "Tuesday P.M." "Vancouver, B.C." "Oct 14/69" "Looking forward to tomorrow! K"; slight smudging
- Classification
- Written Communication T&E - - Writing Media
- Object Term
- Postcard
- Marks/Labels
- Simon Fraser University / N. Burnaby (Vancouver), B.C. Canada
- Country Made
- Canada
- Province Made
- British Columbia
- Site/City Made
- Vancouver
- Title
- Simon Fraser University S-2587
- Publication Date
- October 14 1969
- Subjects
- Documentary Artifacts
- Documentary Artifacts - Postcards
- Documentary Artifacts - Photographs
- Buildings
- Buildings - Schools
- Buildings - Schools - Universities and Colleges
- Names
- Simon Fraser University
Images
postcard
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact48611
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- BV005.41.5
- Description
- Postcard: colour west-facing aerial photo of Simon Fraser University buildings and parking lot; horizontal; on reverse in black, "SFU" and "SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY" "BURNABY 2 / BC / CANADA" "Aerial Looking West" "FC 54", lines above and below; borders divide card into halves horizontally; in left at bottom, "Photo: Chris Hildred" "MADE IN CANADA BY EVERGREEN PRESS LIMITED" "FIDELITY COLOUR" and logo; at upper right, "STAMP", line above and below; unused
- Classification
- Written Communication T&E - - Writing Media
- Object Term
- Postcard
- Marks/Labels
- Simon Fraser University / Burnaby 2/BC/Canada / Aerial View Looking West
- Maker
- Evergreen Press Limited
- Country Made
- Canada
- Title
- Simon Fraser University FC 54
- Subjects
- Documentary Artifacts
- Documentary Artifacts - Postcards
- Documentary Artifacts - Photographs
- Buildings
- Buildings - Schools
- Buildings - Schools - Universities and Colleges
- Names
- Simon Fraser University
Images
