Narrow Results By
Burnaby Art Gallery subseries
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription14
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1890 (date of original)-1983
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Subseries
- Physical Description
- Photographs and textual records
- Scope and Content
- Subseries consists of photographs of and publications related to the Burnaby Art Gallery and Fairacres property.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1890 (date of original)-1983
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Burnaby Art Gallery subseries
- Physical Description
- Photographs and textual records
- Description Level
- Subseries
- Accession Number
- BHS1996-12
- BHS1990-05
- Scope and Content
- Subseries consists of photographs of and publications related to the Burnaby Art Gallery and Fairacres property.
- History
- The Burnaby Art Gallery association was founded in 1967. The purpose of the association was to present a historical and contemporary art program by local, regional, national, and international artists; facilitate the development of emerging artists; provide diverse art educational programming; acquire culturally significant works on paper. The City of Burnaby assumed management of the gallery, its collection, staff and governance in 1998, with the art gallery then taking on the added responsibility of caring for and managing the City of Burnaby’s permanent art collection. The Gallery, along with the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and the Burnaby Village Museum in Deer Lake Park, are part of the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department of the City of Burnaby. The Burnaby Art Gallery is located inside the historic Ceperley House, built by Henry and Grace Ceperley. The couple purchased a strawbery farm on the north shore of Deer Lake from George Clayton in 1909 and built their home, also known as "Fairacres", on the property in 1911. The house was designed by the English architect, R.P.S. Twizell and with its river rock veranda, beautiful hand-crafted woodwork, stained-glass and tile, remains one of the finest examples of Edwardian architecture in the Lower Mainland. Grace and Hentry Ceperley had one daughter named Ethelwyn who married James Edward Hall. Ethelwyn and James Edward Hall had three children: Edith Ceperley, James Edward "Junior," and Florence Renn. In 1917, Grace Ceperley died and left Fairacres to her husband with the stipulation that when the home was sold the proceeds would be used to build a playground for the children of Vancouver in Stanley Park. In 1939, the local Catholic Diocese funded a group of five Benedictine monks from Mount Angel, Oregon to establish a priory in the province. The monks purchased the Ceperley House for their monastery. They also built a large gymnasium on the property. After serving as a monastery, the house was used as a fraternity for some of the first students attending Simon Fraser University, and then became home to the art gallery in the 1960s. The City of Burnaby acquired the property in 1966 and the house was designated a heritage building in 1992. In 1998 the City began restoring exterior of the house and upgraded the building for improved public use. The renovations were completed in 2000, and transformed the house back to its appearance of 1911. The gymnasium built by the Benedictine monks was converted into into the James Cowan Theatre. There are two main galleries, a lounge gallery with a fireplace and easy chairs and The Shopping Bag, a gallery shop run by volunteers. The goals of the gallery are to: provide access to contemporary Canadian art, present works from the permanent collection; collect contemporary works on paper; and offer challenging and educational exhibition related programming.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Creator
- Burnaby Art Gallery
- Notes
- Title based on contents of subseries
- PC241, PC242, MSS066
Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 4
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory475
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1946-1987
- Length
- 00:06:32
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s career at Canadian Industries Inc (CIL) for a few years and then for Fleck Brothers until 1965, when he started his own business, Blaze Industries, which manufactured fire places and wood burning heaters. He also describes his short retirement…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s career at Canadian Industries Inc (CIL) for a few years and then for Fleck Brothers until 1965, when he started his own business, Blaze Industries, which manufactured fire places and wood burning heaters. He also describes his short retirement in 1980 and going back to work for a solar panel manufacturing company, which led to building a plant in India.
- Date Range
- 1946-1987
- Photo Info
- Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263
- Length
- 00:06:32
- Subjects
- Occupations
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- March 19, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.
- Total Tracks
- 11
- Total Length
- 1:31:44
- Interviewee Name
- Gordon, Merrill
- Interview Location
- unknown
- 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 four of interview with Merrill Gordon
Track four of interview with Merrill Gordon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_4.mp3
Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 6
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory477
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1956-1990
- Length
- 00:13:27
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about the circumstances behind Merrill Gordon’s founding of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club in 1956, his subsequent involvement and role as President of the club for 15 years, and the growth and history of soccer clubs in Burnaby. He also talks about his frien…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about the circumstances behind Merrill Gordon’s founding of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club in 1956, his subsequent involvement and role as President of the club for 15 years, and the growth and history of soccer clubs in Burnaby. He also talks about his friend Mark Stockdale who was second president of the club for 16 years and creator of the rose garden on Burnaby Mountain.
- Date Range
- 1956-1990
- Photo Info
- Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263
- Length
- 00:13:27
- Subjects
- Persons - Volunteers
- Sports - Soccer
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- March 19, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.
- Total Tracks
- 11
- Total Length
- 1:31:44
- Interviewee Name
- Gordon, Merrill
- Interview Location
- unknown
- 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 six of interview with Merrill Gordon
Track six of interview with Merrill Gordon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_6.mp3
Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 7
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory478
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1956-1990
- Length
- 00:07:05
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s political career and his volunteer work with Cliff Avenue soccer, the Burnaby Mental Health Association, the library board, and the New Vista Society. He talks about his association with Alan Emmott and the founding of the Better Burnaby Commi…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s political career and his volunteer work with Cliff Avenue soccer, the Burnaby Mental Health Association, the library board, and the New Vista Society. He talks about his association with Alan Emmott and the founding of the Better Burnaby Committee (BBC), his election to Burnaby Council in 1972 with BVA, and his membership in and work for the federal NDP
- Date Range
- 1956-1990
- Photo Info
- Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263
- Length
- 00:07:05
- Names
- Emmott, Alan H
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- March 19, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.
- Total Tracks
- 11
- Total Length
- 1:31:44
- Interviewee Name
- Gordon, Merrill
- Interview Location
- unknown
- 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 seven of interview with Merrill Gordon
Track seven of interview with Merrill Gordon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_7.mp3
Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 8
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory479
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1956-1990
- Length
- 00:10:17
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s founding and operation of the youth soccer exchange with Washington State, and the importance of soccer to the community. He discusses the problem of isolation between north and south Burnaby, planned development in Burnaby, and the contributi…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s founding and operation of the youth soccer exchange with Washington State, and the importance of soccer to the community. He discusses the problem of isolation between north and south Burnaby, planned development in Burnaby, and the contributions of Ratepayer groups and volunteers
- Date Range
- 1956-1990
- Photo Info
- Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263
- Length
- 00:10:17
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- March 19, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.
- Total Tracks
- 11
- Total Length
- 1:31:44
- Interviewee Name
- Gordon, Merrill
- Interview Location
- unknown
- 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 eight of interview with Merrill Gordon
Track eight of interview with Merrill Gordon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_8.mp3
Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 9
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory480
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1987-1990
- Length
- 00:07:57
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s work on the Parks Board and involvement in the arts community. He talks about developing an art policy for Burnaby, the conflicting views about building a theatre at Metrotown, and the establishment of the Arts Centre at Deer Lake
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s work on the Parks Board and involvement in the arts community. He talks about developing an art policy for Burnaby, the conflicting views about building a theatre at Metrotown, and the establishment of the Arts Centre at Deer Lake
- Date Range
- 1987-1990
- Photo Info
- Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263
- Length
- 00:07:57
- Names
- Burnaby Arts Centre
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- March 19, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.
- Total Tracks
- 11
- Total Length
- 1:31:44
- Interviewee Name
- Gordon, Merrill
- Interview Location
- unknown
- 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 nine of interview with Merrill Gordon
Track nine of interview with Merrill Gordon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_9.mp3
Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 10
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory481
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1965-1990
- Length
- 00:15:42
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s views about SFU and its relations with and contributions to Burnaby. He details the founding of the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society with Dean Lamont and its work to have SFU transfer unused land to Burnaby to preserve as parkland
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s views about SFU and its relations with and contributions to Burnaby. He details the founding of the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society with Dean Lamont and its work to have SFU transfer unused land to Burnaby to preserve as parkland
- Date Range
- 1965-1990
- Photo Info
- Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263
- Length
- 00:15:42
- Names
- Simon Fraser University
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
- Lamont, Dean
- Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- March 19, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.
- Total Tracks
- 11
- Total Length
- 1:31:44
- Interviewee Name
- Gordon, Merrill
- Interview Location
- unknown
- 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 ten of interview with Merrill Gordon
Track ten of interview with Merrill Gordon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_10.mp3
Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 11
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory482
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1984-1990
- Length
- 00:10:07
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon and his wife living and traveling in India intermittently for four years starting in 1984, and their impressions of the country and its people
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon and his wife living and traveling in India intermittently for four years starting in 1984, and their impressions of the country and its people
- Date Range
- 1984-1990
- Photo Info
- Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263
- Length
- 00:10:07
- Subjects
- Travel
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- March 19, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.
- Total Tracks
- 11
- Total Length
- 1:31:44
- Interviewee Name
- Gordon, Merrill
- Interview Location
- unknown
- 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 eleven of interview with Merrill Gordon
Track eleven of interview with Merrill Gordon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-020/MSS187-020_Track_11.mp3
Pioneer tales of Burnaby
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary5860
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection
- Digital Reference Collection
- Reference Collection
- Material Type
- Book
- ISBN
- 096928280x
- Call Number
- 971.133 SON COPY 4
- Contributor
- Sone, Michael
- Place of Publication
- Burnaby, B.C.
- Publisher
- Corporation of the District of Burnaby
- Publication Date
- c1987
- Physical Description
- 495 p. : ill. ; 31 cm.
- Inscription
- "TR687 - Bryburgh" / handprinted in pencil on frontend page
- Library Subject (LOC)
- Pioneers--British Columbia--Burnaby
- Frontier and pioneer life
- Biography
- Object History
- Early Burnaby as recalled by the settlers themselves who arrived from every corner of the world between 1888 and 1930, some witnessing incorporation of the district in 1892, all seeking a better life for themselves and especially for their children, all helping transform the wilderness into the modern municipality of today.
- Notes
- "Editor Michael Sone".
- Includes index.
- 4 copies held: copy 4
Images
Digital Books
Waplington family fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription4613
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1911-2004
- Collection/Fonds
- Waplington family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 album (88 photographs + textual records) + 2 photographs in frames
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of records documenting the lives of both the Waplington and Fleming families who resided at 3813 Deer Lake. Records include a family photograph album; two framed portraits: one of John Waplington and Doris Waplington (nee Caswell) (possibly on their wedding day) and Frances (nee Wapl…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Waplington family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 album (88 photographs + textual records) + 2 photographs in frames
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of records documenting the lives of both the Waplington and Fleming families who resided at 3813 Deer Lake. Records include a family photograph album; two framed portraits: one of John Waplington and Doris Waplington (nee Caswell) (possibly on their wedding day) and Frances (nee Waplington) and Ray Fleming; a copy of a handwritten memoir "The Way it Was / 1913-1925"; as well as a computer printed copy of "In and Out of / A Cedar Shake Shack" / "The life of a little girl from World War I / to Canada's Diamond Jubilee" both written by Frances L. Fleming (nee Waplington). Fonds is arranged into series: 1) Waplington and Fleming families album series 2) Frances Fleming manuscripts series 3) Waplington family documents series 4) Waplington family photographs series
- History
- John (Jack) Waplington emigrated from Nottingham, England in 1904, arriving in Quebec City and continuing on to Ontario before eventually settling in British Columbia. Somewhere on his journey his right hand was crushed in an industrial accident and amputated. Following his recovery, Jack continued to work his way across Canada until he found employment at Stave Falls, B.C. and married Sarah Alice Cogswell (nee Nickerson). Jack and Sarah (nicknamed Cutie) Waplington had three children; Frances Louise Waplington (1913-2004), John Hazen Waplington and Grace Bancroft Waplington. In 1916, the Waplingtons rented the Walker house at Hill Station on the Burnaby Lake Interurban Line and in 1920 Jack built a cedar shack on 5 acres of land at 4925 Douglas Road (northwest corner of Douglas and Laurel). According to a memoir by Frances Waplington, life was rough living in the cedar shack on Douglas Road with no electricity or running water and by 1925 the family was lucky to purchase "Brookfield", the former home of Louis Claude Hill located at 3813 Deer Lake Avenue. The home was not in good shape having been empty for some time but was located on ¾ of an acre and purchased at a fair price of $1000. The house was surrounded by grass and flowers gone wild and very tall fir trees. The house had running water, electricity and was heated by a wood burning stove in the kitchen and hall and a fireplace in the living room. There was no refrigeration other than the ice box. The three Waplington children, Frances, John and Grace continued to attend Douglas Road School. The family renovated and restored the house at Deer Lake as well as the grounds, adding in flower and vegetable gardens. The large area of grass which formerly housed a tennis court was rolled flat and reseeded. Jack Waplington continued to work for the power company which became B.C. Electric Company and eventually B.C. Power and Hydro. The Waplingtons continued to live at 3813 Deer Lake until 1946 when they sold their home to their daughter Frances who married Ray Fleming. Jack and Sarah Waplington retired and moved to Lasquiti island. Frances "Fanny" Waplington married Reyland "Ray" Fleming October 11, 1935. Ray and Frances Fleming had three children; John (Jack) Reyland, Edith (Edie) Louise and Sara Maureen. In 1941 Ray was hired by the B.C. Electric Company to work at Buntzen Lake hydro station. There was no housing at the hydro station so the family lived on a 42’ coastal boat, the Cohoe Bay tied up to the dock at Buntzen Lake. Since it was war time, there was fear that the two hydro plants at Stave Falls and Buntzen Lake could be targeted for bombing so the Fleming family had to learn about air raid sirens, bunkers, helmets and gas masks. The children attended a one room classroom at Buntzen Lake and participated in school drills when the air raid siren sounded. By 1947 the Fleming family moved to the Waplington home at 3813 Deer lake Avenue after purchasing it from Frances’ parents. Ray continued to work for B.C. Electric and eventually B.C. Power and B.C. Hydro. The children walked or rode bicycles to and from Douglas Road School. At the time the family moved into their home there were no buses only the Interurban streetcar to take them to Vancouver. Douglas Road station was the nearest stop to Deer Lake on the Burnaby Lake Line. The closest neighbours were the Oakalla Prison farm (located off of Royal Oak hill overlooking Deer Lake) and the Ceperley mansion. Prison breaks were common and both the Waplington and Fleming families would often hear air raid sirens blare to warn them. The neighbourhood would go on high alert and the children would immediately run home to safety. Mr. Fleming was well prepared with his 22 rifle nearby should it be needed. After Sarah Waplington died, Jack Waplington returned to Deer Lake to live in a house trailer on the property that was owned by the Flemings. In 1959, after the Fleming children had grown and moved on, Ray and Frances Fleming sold the property to the Municipality of Burnaby. The Municipality rented it out for several years prior to its demolition around 1970 to make way for Burnaby’s Heritage Village. Frances Louise Fleming received her teaching degree from the Vancouver Normal School at the end of World War II but found it extremely difficult to secure a permanent teaching position as a woman. Between 1944 and 1954, Frances was hired and fired eight times from teaching positions despite excellent reports. Finally in 1954, she was invited to teach in an adjoining district with a permanent teaching appointment to follow. Over the years, Frances taught in Vancouver, Burnaby, Pender Harbour and served as vice principal at Magee Secondary. In the early 1970s Frances was appointed provincial superintendent of schools at Quesnel and then moved to Victoria to be assistant superintendent of integrated and supportive services and then in 1973, she became assistant superintendent of the department of public intstruction. Frances retired from teaching soon after, moving to the Sunshine Coast with her husband Ray. Frances was awarded the Order of British Columbia in 1997, was an accomplished writer who regularly contributed articles to the Vancouver Sun newspaper and othe publications. Ray Fleming died in 2002 and Frances Fleming died in 2004.
- Accession Code
- BV016.46
- Date
- 1911-2004
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Textual Record
- Arrangement
- Series arrangement is based on physical arrangement of records by donor. Family album was scanned in it's original order and items from within family album were removed and described at item and file level.
- Notes
- Title based on content of fonds