Print
Sort by Relevance Sort by Title Sort by Newest Sort by Oldest
Gallery View Table View

3 records – page 1 of 1.

First Prev 1 Next Last
Toggle Detail View

Interview with Norman Dowad

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19638
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1890-2023] (interview content), interviewed 14 Aug. 2023
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recording (wav) (61 min., 37 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (61 min., 37 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Norman Dowad conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, Eric Damer on August 14, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:14:38 Norm shares biographical information about himself and background information on the Dowad family. Norm conveys information …
More detail
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
1 sound recording (wav) (61 min., 37 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (61 min., 37 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewer: Eric Damer Interviewee: Norman Dowad Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: August 14, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:14:37 Digital master recording (wav) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Norman Dowad conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, Eric Damer on August 14, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:14:38 Norm shares biographical information about himself and background information on the Dowad family. Norm conveys information about his grandfather Samuel Dowad's immigration to Canada and his father Wilfred Dowad's military service and successes as a property developer. 00:14:39 – 00:17:26 Norm provides background information on his mother’s side of the family. 00:17:27 – 00:31:36 Norm talks about his childhood, growing up in the Deer Lake neighbourhood, his early education in Burnaby and sports that he played. 00:31:37 – 00:39:59 Norm talks about his educational experiences attending Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia and Osgoode Hall law school and information regarding his law career. 00:40:00 – 00:45:03 Norm reflects on his childhood growing up in Burnaby and on his experiences and relationships as a student and in his career as a lawyer. 00:45:04 – 01:01:37 Norm talks about his siblings and shares information about family property development projects as well as career and business successes. In closing he talks about research that he’s done through Archives Canada on his grandfather Sam Dowad and father Wilfred Dowad.
History
Interviewee biography: Norm Dowad was born in Burnaby, December 1948 to parents Wilfred “Wilf” (1925-2011) and Cherry Dowad. His father, Wilfred (1925-2011) was born in Winnipeg to parents Samuel “Sam” (Salim in Arabic) Esper Dowad (1895-1969) and Martha (Shaheen) Dowad (1894-1955). Sam and Martha Dowad were both born in a province of the Ottoman Empire which is now present day Lebanon. In 1912, while trying to immigrate to Canada, several of Sam’s relatives including his mother died tragically as steerage passengers on the ill fated Titanic. In 1913, at the age of 18 years, Sam immigrated to Canada to join other family members who'd already arrived here safely. As a new immigrant in Canada, Sam worked with other Labanese immigrants in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the United States. In December 1921, Sam's wife, Martha immigrated to Canada arriving by ship in St. John, New Brunswick. Sam and Martha established their home in Winnipeg where they began to start a family. Their first two children died in infancy and son Wilfred was born in 1925 and daughter Kathleen was born in 1926. While living in Winnipeg, Sam worked as a grocer and in the 1930’s he got work as a farmer in a nearby town. In 1943, Wilf joined the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RCVNR) and served as a gunner on merchant ships during World War II. In 1945, while Wilf was away serving, his parents, Sam and Martha moved to Burnaby. After discharge in 1945, Wilf joined his parents in Burnaby, began working at Fraser Mills and commenced his studies in construction and drafting. In 1949, with his father’s help Wilf acquired a lot next door to his parents’ home and built his first apartment block. After Martha died in 1954, Sam moved to Kelowna where he bought an orchard. Sam remarried in 1957 to Naomi “Mamie” (David) Dowad (1899-1978) who was also from a Lebanese family. Sam and Mamie lived in Kelowna until the mid 1960s when they moved to White Rock. While living in Burnaby, Wilf met and married Cherry Piggott and the couple had six children; Norm, Bruce, Michael, Kathie, Phil and Tom. In 1955, Wilfred Dowad established "W. Dowad Ltd." and over the years he was successful in developing and subdividing land to build housing and commercial developments in Burnaby, New Westminster and Vancouver. Wilf was the first president of the Burnaby Winter club and was an active member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce holding office at the local, provincial and national level. In 1970, Wilf purchased 238 acres of land bordering the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh River and relocated there the following year. While living in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, Wilf became actively engaged in local business and community affairs. Wilf was later remarried to Grethe Dowad and he died in Sḵwx̱wú7mesh in 2011.Wilf's six children are the sole owners of "W.Dowad Ltd." and his daughter, Kathie Smillie is the president and CEO. While growing up in Burnaby, Norm Dowad attended Schou Street School, Douglas Road School, Kensington School and graduated from Burnaby Central Secondary School. Following graduation from high school, Norm attended Simon Fraser University for one year, travelled in Europe, attended University of British Columbia and obtained his law degree from Osgoode Hall at York University. Norman has been practicing law for 49 years and has his own law practice that he operates out of Vancouver. 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
Agriculture - Farms
Education
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Migration
Sports
Sports - Football
Wars - World War, 1939-1945
Names
Dowad, Norman W. "Norm"
Dowad, Samuel Esper "Sam"
Dowad, Wilfred "Wilf"
Dowad, Naomi "Mamie" David
Dowad, Martha Elias Shaheen
Dowad, Kathleen "Kay"
Rideout, Dr. John Anthony
Burnaby Central Secondary School
Douglas Road School
W. Dowad Limited
Responsibility
Damer, Eric
Geographic Access
Buckingham Avenue
Deer Lake
Street Address
5533 Buckingham Avenue
Accession Code
BV023.16.16
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1890-2023] (interview content), interviewed 14 Aug. 2023
Media Type
Sound Recording
Historic Neighbourhood
Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Morley-Buckingham Area
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Transcription available
Documents
2023_0016_0016_003 pdf thumbnail

2023_0016_0016_003

Read and Search PDF Download PDF
Audio Tracks

Interview with Norman Dowad, [1890-2023] (interview content), interviewed 14 Aug. 2023

Interview with Norman Dowad, [1890-2023] (interview content), interviewed 14 Aug. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0016_002.mp3
Less detail
Douglas Road, Burnaby, [1908] thumbnail
Toggle Detail View

Douglas Road, Burnaby

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38514
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1908]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia postcard ; 8.8 x 14 cm
Scope and Content
Photographic postcard taken looking northwest along Douglas Road (now Canada Way) near Stanley Street. Two unidentified people are standing next to a wooden fence running alongside the road (above Lubbock's Creek) and a number of houses (including the Sprott house) are visible in the background. To…
More detail
1 image
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1908]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Photographs subseries
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia postcard ; 8.8 x 14 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
449-009
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS2007-04
Scope and Content
Photographic postcard taken looking northwest along Douglas Road (now Canada Way) near Stanley Street. Two unidentified people are standing next to a wooden fence running alongside the road (above Lubbock's Creek) and a number of houses (including the Sprott house) are visible in the background. To the right is Burnaby Lake. Stamped at the top of the postcard is "Douglas Road, Burnaby / New Westminster BC."
Subjects
Geographic Features - Lakes and Ponds
Documentary Artifacts - Postcards
Geographic Features - Roads
Media Type
Photograph
Geographic Access
Douglas Road
Stanley Street
Canada Way
Deer Lake
Historic Neighbourhood
Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Lakeview-Mayfield Area
Images
Douglas Road, Burnaby, [1908] thumbnail
Less detail
Looking down north Poleline Hill, [1908] thumbnail
Toggle Detail View

Looking down north Poleline Hill

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription796
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1908]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 20.32 x 25.4 cm print
Scope and Content
Photograph looking north along the Pole Line Road (later Sperling Avenue). To the far left is Deer Lake and at the top right is Burnaby Lake. The smoke and debris from land clearing is a result of logging operations being carried out by the Doran Brothers logging company, the Deer Lake Mill Company…
More detail
1 image
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 20.32 x 25.4 cm print
Material Details
inscribed in pencil, verso, l.l. "Looking down north Poleline Hill (now Sperling) Deer Lake at left. "
Scope and Content
Photograph looking north along the Pole Line Road (later Sperling Avenue). To the far left is Deer Lake and at the top right is Burnaby Lake. The smoke and debris from land clearing is a result of logging operations being carried out by the Doran Brothers logging company, the Deer Lake Mill Company. Above Deer Lake, Douglas Road is visible with Claude Hill's Brookfield property (later 6501 Deer Lake Avenue) on the south side of the road and Bernard Hill's home on the north side (later 4990 Canada Way). Just northeast of Brookfield is the George Every-Clayton farm (amongst the trees) on what would later become the Henry and Grace Ceperley estate grounds known as Fairacres. The house in the centre of the picture is the Walker house (later 5255 Sperling Avenue). Mountains can be seen to the north.
Subjects
Land Clearing
Geographic Features - Roads
Industries - Forestry
Industries - Logging/lumber
Geographic Access
Sperling Avenue
Deer Lake
Douglas Road
Canada Way
Accession Code
HV976.139.47
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1908]
Media Type
Photograph
Historic Neighbourhood
Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Morley-Buckingham Area
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
2023-06-27
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Looking down north Poleline Hill, [1908] thumbnail
Less detail