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Interview with David Skulski

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19606

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1948-2023] (interview content), interviewed 6 Jul. 2023

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (80 min., 38 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (80 min., 38 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Murray "David" Skulski conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. 00:00:00 – 00:22:22 David Skulski provides biographical information about himself. He talks about his childhood experiences growing up, at…

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) (80 min., 38 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (80 min., 38 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewer: Eric Damer Interviewee: David Skulski Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: July 6 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 80 min., 38 sec. Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Murray "David" Skulski conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. 00:00:00 – 00:22:22 David Skulski provides biographical information about himself. He talks about his childhood experiences growing up, attending school in New Westminster and Burnaby and Hebrew school in Vancouver. David recalls his early experiences in music, instruments that he played and describes some of his Jewish family traditions. 00:22:23 – 00:49:57 David talks about his experiences studying music at university and following his passion as a musician and oboist. He recalls his experiences of working with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the CBC Orchestra, Vancouver Society for Early Music, the Burnaby Symphony Orchestra, other musical ensembles and venues where he’s performed. 00:49:58 – 01:00:00 David talks about living in Burnaby in the Deer Lake neighbourhood. David describes some his experiences playing traditional music from different countries. 01:01:01 – 01:14:15 David comments on the changes that he’s seen in Burnaby over the years, some of his favourite places, activities, cultural amenities and development on the Fraser River. David talks about the Jewish community in Burnaby, his involvement with the Peretz Centre and examples of Jewish cuisine. 01:14:16 – 01:20:38 David talks about Yiddish being his first language, his language studies in Lithuania, the roots of the language and provides some examples of speaking Yiddish.

History: Interviewee biography: Murray "David" Skulski was born in 1942 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and moved to British Columbia with his parents in 1948. Skulski and his family settled in New Westminster before moving to Burnaby in the late 1950's. Skulski took piano lessons at an early age and began playing obo while attending junior high school in New Westminster. In 1960 at the age of 17 years, Skulski began performing with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra as solo English horn and is the youngest player to ever be employed with the VSO. In 1991, Skulski started playing with the Vancouver Folk Orchestra and was the conductor between 1997 and 2004. Skulski has been the principal oboe player in many orchestras. In 1968, Skulski founded the Hortulani Musicae; in 1970, he founded the Vancouver Society for Early Music and in 1983 he founded Harmonie, an ensemble concentrating in classical wind music. In 2003, Skulski became president of the Pertez Centre for Secular Jewish Culture. In 2005, Skulski became principal oboist of the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Burnaby Symphony Orchestra and between 2009 and 2019 he was the principal oboist for the Pilgrim Orchestra under Pilwon Suk. David has served as president of the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture and since 2022, he’s served on the board of the Vancouver Chamber Music Society. Skulski has taught summer courses in Renaissance music in Austria (1972-1979), has been a music resident at Simon Fraser University (1973-1976), has lectured on the history of musical instruments at SFU and UBC and in 2008 began teaching at the Pacific Coast School of Music, Richmond School of Music and Oakridge Music Studios. 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; Foods; Music; Musical Instruments; Occupations - Musicians; Performances - Concerts; Persons - Jewish Canadians; Religions - Judaism

Names: Burnaby Symphony Orchestra; Burnaby South High School; Burquest; Skulski, Murray "David"; Vancouver Symphony Orchestra; Vancouver Society for Early Music; Peretz Centre

Responsibility: Damer, Eric

Geographic Access: Deer Lake; Deer Lake Park

Accession Code: BV023.16.10

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1948-2023] (interview content), interviewed 6 Jul. 2023

Media Type: Sound Recording

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Douglas-Gilpin Area

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcription available

Documents

2023_0016_0010_004

Audio Tracks

Interview with David Skulski, [1948-2023] (interview content), interviewed 6 Jul. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/Hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0010_003.mp3

Interview with Lee Rankin by Kathy Bossort December 2, 2015 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory643

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1963-2009

Length: 0:10:40

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Lee Rankin talking about why he chose a career in politics and what kept him interested being a Burnaby councillor for 22 years. He tells the story about the land swap that he helped engineer with the School Board that enabled the building of the new Burnaby S…

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Lee Rankin talking about why he chose a career in politics and what kept him interested being a Burnaby councillor for 22 years. He tells the story about the land swap that he helped engineer with the School Board that enabled the building of the new Burnaby South Secondary School. He relates that this experience in the late 1980s would become key in finding a resolution for the City/SFU dispute. He talks about the positions held by the university and the City over land ownership and control on Burnaby Mountain. Rezoning for Discovery Park and the 1964 Simon Fraser Townsite Master Plan (1964) are discussed.

Date Range: 1963-2009

Length: 0:10:40

Names: Simon Fraser University; Burnaby School Disctrict no. 41; Burnaby South High School

Subjects: Education; Officials - Aldermen and Councillors

Geographic Access: Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area

Interviewer: Bossort, Kathy

Interview Date: December 2, 2015

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Lee Rankin conducted by Kathy Bossort. Lee Rankin was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about Lee Rankin’s involvement in finding a resolution to the dispute between the City of Burnaby and Simon Fraser University over land ownership and control on Burnaby Mountain. He talks about the origin of the dispute, the positions taken by the two sides, the key people who brought about a resolution, and the main features of the agreement between the City, SFU and the province of BC. He talks about how the agreement met SFU’s goals, fostered trust between the City and university, and removed uncertainty from protecting parkland on Burnaby Mountain.

Biographical Notes: Lee Rankin was born in 1953 in Vancouver. He attended SFU 1973-78, completing his BA degree in 1985. He earned his law degree at UBC in 1988, was called to the Bar in 1989, and practiced in immigration and refugee law. Lee has lived in Burnaby since 1976 and was a member of Burnaby Council for 22 years, from 1983-1999 and 2002-2008. His particular interests as a Councillor were in community planning, housing and environment. Among other duties and accomplishments as Councillor, Lee served as chair of the Simon Fraser Liaison Committee and was involved in the negotiations with the province and SFU that resulted in the university returning more than 800 acres of land to the City, which was dedicated as part of the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. He has also served on the GVRD, volunteers as a coach for team sports in Burnaby, and has served on numerous community and business associations and committees. Lee is married to Ragini Venkat Rankin and has one son Henry.

Total Tracks: 8

Total Length: 1:50:35

Interviewee Name: Rankin, Lee A.

Interview Location: Lee Rankin's home in Burnaby

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

Collection/Fonds: Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds

Series: Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project series

Media Type: Sound Recording

Audio Tracks

Track two of interview with Lee Rankin

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS196-014/MSS196-014_Track_2.mp3

Interview with Jack Davy and Thomas James Sanderson 22-Jul-75 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory87

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1931-1940

Length: 0:09:36

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Jack Davy and Tommy Sanderson's memories of the apprentice system offered as an alternative to high school as well as the Depression's effect on the schools.

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Jack Davy and Tommy Sanderson's memories of the apprentice system offered as an alternative to high school as well as the Depression's effect on the schools.

Date Range: 1931-1940

Length: 0:09:36

Subjects: Education

Interviewer: McLeod, Ross S.

Interview Date: 22-Jul-75

Scope and Content: Recording is a taped interview with two school principals who were working during the depression; John "Jack" Davy and Thomas James "Tommy" Sanderson by Ross S. McLeod. Major themes discussed are: the Depression and scholastic studies. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: John “Jack” Davy was raised in New Westminster and his family and the Eagles' family were close friends, with the grandparents and parents getting together regularly to play cards. As a child, Jack delivered the Columbian newspaper. Jack Davy worked for Burnaby schools for over fifty years; twenty-five of those years as principal at Edmonds Street School. During the depression, he worked as a principal of Kitchener Street School. Thomas James “Tommy” Sanderson was born to Ellen Jane Garvin and Thomas F. Sanderson. The couple married on January 14, 1903 at Mount Pleasant and lived first at English Bay. Tommy had an older brother, Gordon John and a sister, Flora Jane (later Rawden). The three children were raised in the Sanderson family home at 3812 Inman Avenue, one block north of Central Park. From 1919 to 1920, their father, Thomas F. Sanderson served as Reeve of Burnaby. Tommy Sanderson attended Inman Avenue School, then Kingsway West before graduating from Burnaby South High School in 1926. In 1931, he began his teaching career back at Burnaby South High School. From 1938, Tommy was principal at Sperling Avenue School. During the course of his career, he also worked as vice-principal of Edmonds Street School, principal at Capitol Hill School, Kingsway West School, McPhearson Junior High and Burnaby North High School. Tommy married Dorothy Alberta Reid of Chilliwack July 12, 1932 and had two children Robert “Bobby” and Margaret. The family first lived at 1921 Gilley Avenue, New Westminster then 2073 Waverley Avenue, Burnaby while Bobby and Margaret attended Nelson Avenue School, then Burnaby South High School.

Total Tracks: 5

Total Length: 0:43:20

Interviewee Name: Davy, Jack; Sanderson, Thomas "Tommy" James

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Oral history subseries

Media Type: Sound Recording

Web Notes: Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.

Audio Tracks

Track two of interview with Jack Davy and Thomas James Sanderson

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-24/100-13-24_Track_2.mp3

Interview with Betty Blair by Eric Damer October 17, 2012 - Track 5

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory300

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1930-1970

Length: 0:09:04

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to Betty (Warburton) (Atkinson) Blair's teaching of parenting effectiveness training and the role of the Parent-Teacher Association. She discusses her love for libraries and secondhand books and how she passed that on to her own children. Betty tells a story o…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to Betty (Warburton) (Atkinson) Blair's teaching of parenting effectiveness training and the role of the Parent-Teacher Association. She discusses her love for libraries and secondhand books and how she passed that on to her own children. Betty tells a story of her early political life, and of her and her mother's respect for Ernie and Harold Winch.

Date Range: 1930-1970

Photo Info: Graduating class at Burnaby South High School; Betty Warburton is third from the right in the front row, [1942 or 1943]. Item no. BV004.82.5.

Length: 0:09:04

Subjects: Education; Political Theories

Interviewer: Damer, Eric

Interview Date: October 17, 2012

Scope and Content: Recording is an interview with Betty (Warburton) (Atkinson) Blair conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, October 17, 2012. Major theme discussed: life in Burnaby during the war years.

Biographical Notes: Betty Warburton (later Atkinson) (later Blair) was born in 1926 and grew up at three different locations on Frederick Avenue in Burnaby. She went to school in Burnaby; first at Kingsway West for two years, then Nelson Avenue and then Burnaby South High School where she completed senior matriculation. After graduation, Betty worked for a few years in Vancouver before marrying her first husband Don Atkinson and raising their children in Burnaby. Betty (Warburton) (Atkinson) Blair has participated in a range of activities from hiking and Girl Guides to volunteer arthritis care. By the nineteen-sixties she had began to learn pottery and take lessons at Mather House in Burnaby.

Total Tracks: 6

Total Length: 0:59:03

Interviewee Name: Blair, Betty Warburton Atkinson

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

Images

Graduating class at Burnaby South High School; Betty Warburton is third from the right in the front row, [1942 or 1943]. Item no. BV004.82.5. thumbnail

Audio Tracks

Track five of recording of interview with Betty Blair

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS171-003/MSS171-003_Track_5.mp3

Oral history interview with Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19146

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 29 Jun. 2022

Collection/Fonds: Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 3 sound recordings (wav) (02:06:53 min) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (02:06:53 min)

Scope and Content: Item consists of an audio recording of an oral history interview with Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos conducted by Denise Fong with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. During the interview, Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos discuss; their ancestral background, childhood, pla…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos fonds

Series: Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos interview series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 3 sound recordings (wav) (02:06:53 min) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (02:06:53 min)

Material Details: Interviewer: Denise Fong Co Interviewer and technical support: Kate Petrusa Interviewees: Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos Location of Interview: Home of Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos on Victory Street, Burnaby Date of interview: June 29, 2022 Total Number of Tracks: 3 Total length of all Tracks: 02:06:53 min Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto 3 separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of an audio recording of an oral history interview with Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos conducted by Denise Fong with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. During the interview, Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos discuss; their ancestral background, childhood, places of residence, education, career history, how they met, Jimmy's experience working in the film industry, their home in Burnaby and their neighbourhood, their political activism in Burnaby, Robin Chung Dip's work in Vancouver’s' Chinatown, the gambling scene in Vancouver prior to legalized forms of gambling and their memories of supper clubs in Vancouver. 00:00 - 5:57 Opening introductions where Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos provide information on their full names, their birth places and their ancestral background. Jimmy clarifies that his birth name is Hipman Chow but that he was given the English name “Jimmy” by his father when he came to Canada. Jimmy shares that he was born in 1948, in the Village of Lin Pong Lee, Hoiping, China and immigrated to British Columbia with his mother, Gim Gee Chow in 1950 to escape the Communist Regime and to join his father who had already immigrated to Canada. Jimmy imparts that many Chinese immigrated to British Columbia in search of a better life, referring to it as “Gold Mountain” and that even though they faced extreme racial discrimination that many stayed since they felt that it was better than returning. Donna Polos shares ancestral information on both her maternal and paternal sides of the family. Donna’s mother’s family came from Helsinki, Finland. Donna’s paternal grandmother emigrated from Ukraine to Argentina and then to Winnipeg. Donna’s paternal grandfather, James Kostopolus (renamed Polos) emigrated as a 12 year old orphan from Sparta, Greece to the United States but was denied entry so ended up going to Halifax and eventually made his way to Vancouver. Once in Vancouver, he became a restaurant proprietor and over the years, he owned and operated three restaurants in Vancouver, including; “Jimmy’s Café” (next door the Astoria Hotel); “Home Apple Pie Café” (Princess Avenue & Hastings Street) and a restaurant that was located on Alma Street. 05:58 - 13:28 Jimmy recollects in further detail, the many places that his family lived over the years. Jimmy’s father Robin Chung Dip Chow immigrated to Vancouver at the age of 14 years and worked and lived in Victoria and Vancouver. In 1950, Jimmy and his mother fled China, first to Hong Kong and then to Vancouver to join his father. Soon after arriving in Vancouver, for the next four years, he and his parents lived in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Quebec City where his father, Robin had work in restaurants and hotels. Jimmy attended school while the family lived in these different places and began to learn English. After four years, the family returned to Vancouver, first living in areas of Chinatown and Strathcona before settling in the neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant. Jimmy shares his memories of growing up in Strathcona and the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, schools that he attended and the friendships that he made. Jimmy recollects details about the old Bethlehem Lutheran Church that he attended and describes the demands of the education required to become a Lutheran minister. 13:29 - 15:47 Jimmy tells of how his father, Robin Chung Dip Chow had to pay the Chinese Head Tax of $500 when he arrived in Vancouver at 14 years of age (1921) and how his father had to work hard pay off the head tax over the years. Denise Fong and Jimmy Chow, talk about the origin of a photograph portrait of Jimmy Chow that was taken around 1954 and speculate whether it might have been taken by well known portrait photographer, Yucho Chow. 15:48 - 19:33 Donna Polos recollects the many locations that her family lived while she was growing up in Vancouver. First residing at various locations in the downtown east side of Vancouver before moving to a home near Joyce Station where she lived until 21 years old. After 21 years of age, Donna moved in with roommates in Vancouver before moving in with Jimmy in North Burnaby in 1972. In 1976 Donna and Jimmy purchased their home on Victory Street. Both Donna and Jimmy talk about their careers after high school. Jimmy talks about how he worked at the Supervalu grocery store near his house. Jimmy planned to use his savings from his job to travel but instead he used his savings for a down payment on a house with Donna. Donna imparts that after obtaining her teaching degree she began working in Burnaby schools, eventually teaching at Burnaby South. 19:34 - 32:08 Both Jimmy and Donna share their educational background and experiences growing up. Jimmy first attended Florence Nightingale elementary in Strathcona, then Mount Pleasant Elementary and later high school at 24th Avenue and Main Street. Donna lists the schools that she attended including; elementary school in Strathcona, Carlton Elementary School at Kingsway and Joyce, Windermere High School, Vancouver City College (Langara) and the University of British Columbia. Donna and Jimmy reflect on public transportation that was available during the time they were growing up. Donna recollects her childhood growing up in the neighbourhood of Joyce Station, the freedom that she experienced playing outside in nature and what inspired her to become a teacher. Jimmy reflects on some of his mentors and about his first experience seeing movies as a young child at a cinema in Asquith, Saskatchewan. Donna communicates her own experiences of sexism throughout her high school, college and university education (1968-1972). 32:09 - 36:18 Donna talks about her career history and some of her major turning points. Donna recollects starting out as a Chemistry lab assistant, marking math papers before working as a teacher on call and eventually being hired as a teacher at Clinton Elementary School where she taught for nine years. Donna shares a memory of her first experience working as a teacher on call at Gilmore Elementary School and the fire that occurred there. After starting a family (Jimmy and Donna had three children) Donna worked part time teaching while Jimmy worked full time in film. Donna, shares that in 1991, after a near death experience, she became interested in fine art and took drawing and watercolour painting classes. With this experience, Donna experimented with different painting techniques on paper and fabric. Donna tells of how she retired from teaching in 2008 but continued to participate in the schools as an Artist in Residence. 36:19 - 58:18 Jimmy talks about his work and career history. He shares memories of his experiences as a young boy delivering newspapers, working at a local pharmacy, stocking shelves at the local supermarket, and his experience working with troubled youth and of how he thought that he might like to become a social worker. Jimmy tells of how he was uncertain of what to do until he got a job with the CBC in 1973 which eventually launched his career as a property master in the film industry, becoming a member of IATSE and a voting member of the Academy of Motion Pictures. Jimmy describes in detail what it means to be a property master and the work that is entailed in the film industry. 58:19 - 1:07:45 Donna Polos describes her art practice and her connection to Burnaby. Donna recollects how she first started working with textiles and fabrics from a young age and how this later inspired her to develop her own watercolour techniques of painting on paper, canvas and fabrics. Donna describes how she first got started by taking art classes in Burnaby and now has over 31 years of experience working in watercolour. Donna has worked as an Artist in Residence in Burnaby schools, been a member of the Burnaby Arts Council, had her first show in 1997 and has been involved in many art projects over the years. Donna describes the style of her work, first starting with more figurative work, social commentary and still life and that now most of her work is landscape based. Donna coveys that as a political activist in Burnaby, she was an active participant in the development of a tree bylaw, has petitioned to protect renters from demo-evictions and the impacts of future development on the local environment. 1:07:46 - 1:07:59 Background discussion between Denise Fong and Kate Petrusa re interviews. 1:08:00 - 1:26:36 Jimmy provides information on his connection to the local film industry and the changes that have occurred over the years. Jimmy describes the first studios on the North Shore and the eventual establishment of Bridge Studios on Boundary Road. Jimmy shares that in 1988, he and some of his colleagues in the film industry put a proposal together to buy the Bridge Studios but it didn't go through. Since the Bridge Studios and other film studios have been established in Burnaby and Vancouver, the industry has grown exponentially. Jimmy became the 54th member of the local IATSE union. Jimmy describes some of his experiences working on various productions including "Seven Years in Tibet", provides a description of what a film studio is, how it is used and the differences between working in the film industry in the United States and British Columbia. 1:26:37 - 1:32:46 Jimmy and Donna recollect how they first met, buying a house in Burnaby, getting married and starting a family. The two share memories of their wedding in White Rock and Jimmy talks about the Chinese hair cutting ceremony in recognition of their first born child that took place in Chinatown in Vancouver. Jimmy tells of how his parents had hopes of him marrying a Chinese woman and his mother began introducing him to a few young Chinese women from the time he was 16 years old. Jimmy mentions that his parents rarely used Western Medicine and relied on Traditional Chinese Medicine. Donna and Jimmy talk about Jimmy's parents, when they died and how happy his parents were to have grandchildren. 1:32:47 - 1:40:13 Jimmy and Donna talk about their house on Victory Street which they purchased in 1976. They share information on the history of the house, how it was built in 1939 by Norm Clark, how they fell in love with the design of the house and the neighbourhood. 1:40:14 - 1:58:31 Jimmy and Donna share information on their family life in Burnaby, their neighbourhood and favourite places in Burnaby. Donna lists the schools that their three children attended including; Nelson Avenue School, Burnaby South High School and Burnaby Central High School. Both Donna and Jimmy convey that all of their children played soccer and the benefits that the sport provided them. Donna and Jimmy talk about how the neighbourhood has changed over the years, the benefits of where they live, their fondness for built heritage and the many parks and trees in Burnaby. 1:58:32 - 2:02:50 Jimmy begins to share information on his father, Robin Chung Dip Chow's employment history. Jimmy recalls that his father, Robin worked in a variety of jobs over the years and as a young child, Jimmy was uncertain of what his father's job was but thought that he worked in accounting. He mentions that his father stopped working at 45 years of age due to a problem with his Achilles tendon. Jimmy describes his father as an intellectual who worked at gambling houses in Vancouver's Chinatown where people played mah-jong and fan-tan. Jimmy recollects that these were large clubs with lots of employees. His father never gambled but he was good with money so he worked on the management side. Jimmy mentions that while working in the film industry, his father took him and some of his film colleagues into some of the gambling houses in Chinatown to assist them with a production that they were working on. 2:02:51 - 2:06:58 Donna shares her own family history regarding gambling. She mentions that her uncle worked as a high end "bookie" in Vancouver and how in 1968, her uncle was arrested but got let go with just a small fine. Jimmy describes what gambling was like in those days with various sweepstakes, not under the jurisdiction of the government like it is today. Both Donna and Jimmy recollect the popularity of supper clubs their memories of Vie's Chicken and Steak House that was located in Hogan's Alley. Jimmy laments the destruction of Hogan's Alley and the other proposals that were brought forward that would change Chinatown and Strathcona.

History: Interviewees biography: Hipman "Jimmy" Chow was born in Lin Pong Lee, Hoiping, China in 1948. In 1950, Jimmy Chow immigrated to Vancouver from China with his mother, Gim Gee Chow to join his father, Robin Chung Dip Chow who'd immigrated to Canada at 14 years of age in 1921. For the first four years after immigrating, Jimmy and his parents lived in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Quebec before returning to Vancouver around 1954. Jimmy and his family then lived and worked in Vancouver eventually settling in the neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant. In the early 1970s, Jimmy met his future wife Donna Polos and they married in 1981. Donna Polos was born in 1949 to Donald James Polos and Mayme "May" Helen Tilikana Polos and grew up in Vancouver. Between the age of 5 and 21 years, Donna lived in the neighbourhood of Joyce Station. In 1976, Jimmy and Donna purchased and moved into a house on Victory Street in Burnaby where they still live today. While living on Victory Street, they've raised their three children. Donna received her teaching degree and taught in elementary schools for many years. In 1991, after a near death experience, Donna developed an interest in drawing and painting and began experimenting with water colour painting on fabric. Donna has since exhibited her work widely, participated as an Artist in Residence in Burnaby schools and is a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists. Jimmy entered the film industry in 1973, gaining experience and recognition as a property master and has worked on many films over a 45 year career. Interviewer biography: Denise Fong is a historical researcher at Burnaby Village Museum. She has degrees in Anthropology (BA) and Archaeology (MA), and is completing her doctoral degree at UBC in Interdisciplinary Studies. Her primary research interests are in Chinese Canadian history and critical heritage studies. She is the co-curator of BVM’s “Across the Pacific” exhibition, and the Museum of Vancouver’s “A Seat at the Table – Chinese Immigration and British Columbia”.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants; Buildings - Residential; Buildings - Residential - Houses; Education; Geographic Features - Parks; Geographic Features - Neighbourhoods; Government - Local Government; Industries - Film; Migration; Occupations; Occupations - Artists; Occupations - Grocers; Occupations - Entrepreneurs; Occupations - Teachers; Persons - Chinese Canadians; Social Issues - Racism; Sports - Soccer

Names: Bridge Studios; Chow, Gim Gee Dang; Chow, Hipman "Jimmy"; Chow, Robin Chung Dip; Polos, Donna; Polos, James "Jimmy", 1898-1962; Polos, Donald James; Polos, Mayme "May" Helen Tilikana

Geographic Access: Victory Street

Accession Code: BV022.21.1

Date: 29 Jun. 2022

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of recording; Hipman "Jimmy" Chow's name in Cantonese is Chow Hipman and in Mandarin is Zhou Xiamin.

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Audio Tracks

Oral history interview with Hipman

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0021_0001_004.mp3

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Interview with David Skulski

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19606

Documents

Audio Tracks

Interview with Lee Rankin by Kathy Bossort December 2, 2015 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory643

Audio Tracks

Interview with Jack Davy and Thomas James Sanderson 22-Jul-75 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory87

Audio Tracks

Interview with Betty Blair by Eric Damer October 17, 2012 - Track 5

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory300

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Oral history interview with Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19146

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Interview with David Skulski

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Interview with Lee Rankin by Kathy Bossort December 2, 2015 - Track 2

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Interview with Jack Davy and Thomas James Sanderson 22-Jul-75 - Track 2

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Interview with Betty Blair by Eric Damer October 17, 2012 - Track 5

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Oral history interview with Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos

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