Narrow Results By
Subject
- Education 1
- Environmental Issues 1
- Environmental Issues - Environmental Protection 1
- Geographic Features 1
- Geographic Features - Parks 1
- Housing 1
- Occupations 1
- Occupations - Entrepreneurs 1
- Occupations - Writers 1
- Organizations - Societies and Clubs 1
- Persons - Jewish Canadians 1
- Persons - Volunteers 2
Person / Organization
- Atchison, Jennifer 1
- Bossort, Kathy 13
- British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
- Brown, Cice Chandler 1
- Burnaby Fire Department 1
- Burnaby Lake Park Association
- Burnaby Mountain Biking Association 1
- Burnaby Mountain Centennial Park 1
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area 6
- Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society 5
- Burnaby Multicultural Society 1
- Burnaby South High School 1
Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19602
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (68 min., 52 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (68 min., 53 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. 00:00-16:47 Bill and Ellen share where they were born, grew up and went to school as citizens of the United States and how they met in Pe…
- 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) (68 min., 52 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (68 min., 53 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Eric Damer Interviewees: Ellen and Bill Schwartz Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: May 15, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:08:52 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby Photograph information: Bill and Ellen Schwartz.
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. 00:00-16:47 Bill and Ellen share where they were born, grew up and went to school as citizens of the United States and how they met in Pennsylvania the 1970s. Bill and Ellen explain how in the 1970s, they were discouraged about the current politics in the United States under the Nixon administration and how they were inspired by the “back to the land” ideals, rejecting materialism and wanting an alternative lifestyle. With these ideals in mind, they recall how in 1972 they and a few other friends decided to leave the United States, move to British Columbia with the goal of buying land in the Okanagan or Kootenay region and starting a new lifestyle for themselves. Bill and Ellen recollect how they purchased 20 acres of land in Galena Bay in the Kootenays and how they lived in the area off and on until the early 1980s. They describe how they cleared three acres of land, built a cabin, put in a garden, chicken coop and honey bees. With the challenges of the isolated location and no access to electricity they explain how they decided that they had to live elsewhere in order to make a living. Ellen talks about working as a special education teacher in Revelstoke and Slocan and how Bill obtained his teaching certificate while they lived in Nelson. Bill and Ellen describe themselves as environmentalists and of how they both became active Provincial environmentalists during the construction of the Revelstoke Dam. Bill talks about getting work with the “Energy Van” program talking about energy conservation, renewable energy and recycling. They explain how after their first child was born in 1980, they returned to Galena Bay for about a year and a half until Bill was offered a job with the Department of Energy Conservation which lead them to move to Vancouver. 16:48 – 22:46 Bill and Ellen describe their first few years of living in Vancouver and at University of British Columbia while Ellen completed her master’s degree in creative writing. During this time, they had their second child. They recall how in 1988 how they purchased a house in Burnaby, selecting to live in the Deer Lake neighbourhood. They talk about the benefits of the neighbourhood including; a French immersion school for their children, proximity to the trails around Deer Lake and having transit close by. 22:47 – 33:55 Bill and Ellen talk about their consulting business “Polestar Communications”. A Burnaby based communications consulting firm composed of three people, Ellen and Bill and colleague Richard Banner. They describe how their business got started and some of the projects that they’ve worked on including; BC Hydro’s Power Smart Program, financial literacy curriculum that was introduced in B.C. schools and reports for the Province of British Columbia. Ellen and Bill convey how Bill has been a very active member with the City of Burnaby Environment Committee, the Steering Committee to develop a sustainable environmental strategy for Burnaby, how he’s been awarded for his contributions in coaching youth sports and other areas in which they have both volunteered. 33:56 – 43:07 Ellen describes how she got started in writing educational resources about the environment and how since she completed grad school in 1984, she’s published nineteen books. Ellen conveys how her first book was published and sold to the Province of British Columbia as part of the B.C. educational curriculum on the environment. Ellen talks about some of the children’s books that she’s written and published with themes including; social justice, the labour movement and racism in sports. Ellen describes some of her books and the research that she’s done. 43:08 – 51:04 Ellen and Bill Schwartz reflect on what they like about living in Burnaby. They talk about the benefits of their neighbourhood including; performances at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival, the Burnaby Art Gallery and Deer Lake as well as having access to parks and community centres in Burnaby. 51:05-56:36 Bill and Ellen reflect on their involvement in the Jewish community, considering themselves non-secular Jews. Ellen talks about how they were involved with “Burquest” a Jewish Community Association and how they often observe some of the Jewish holidays including Hanukah and traditions including the Jewish coming of age ritual, bar mitzvah (masc.) and bat mistvah (fem.). Ellen mentions her involvement with the “Jone Betty Stuchner Oy Vey! Funniest Children’s book Award” where she acts a judge and her involvement with the Jewish Book festival and that she is a recipient of the Jewish Book award. 56:37 – 1:08:53 Bill and Ellen reflect on their 35 years living in Burnaby and how they’ve seen it change. They talk about the increased development and density in the city, how they are troubled by a lack of low income housing, the benefits and importance of public transportation and preservation of green space including Burnaby parks.
- History
- Interviewees' biographies: Ellen Schwartz was born in Washington, DC, (1950) but grew up in New Jersey. She attended the Universities of Chicago and Wisconsin before moving to a farm in Pennsylvania, where she met her future husband Bill Schwartz. Bill Schwartz grew up in and around Philadelphia (b. 1947), and attended Pennsylvania State University. After travelling, and discouraged with life in eastern America, he and Ellen decided that British Columbia held better prospects. Bill and Ellen quit their jobs in 1972 and moved to the Kootenay region where they adopted a “back to the land” lifestyle, a very new experience for both of them. After eight years of modest success, and occasional work in nearby towns, they opted to return to Vancouver where Bill had work and where they could raise a family more easily. They rented in Vancouver for a few years before moving to family housing at UBC, while Ellen studied creative writing. Bill founded a communications and writing company, and in 1988 they purchased a home in Burnaby. Ellen launched a new career as a writer, mainly for children young adults. Both were active in their careers, raising a family, and participating in local social and political activities. 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
- Environmental Issues
- Environmental Issues - Environmental Protection
- Geographic Features
- Geographic Features - Parks
- Housing
- Occupations
- Occupations - Entrepreneurs
- Occupations - Writers
- Persons - Volunteers
- Persons - Jewish Canadians
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Religions
- Religions - Judaism
- Names
- Schwartz, William "Bill"
- Schwartz, Ellen
- City of Burnaby
- Polestar Communications
- British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority
- Responsibility
- Damer, Eric
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.6
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Lake Area
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby
Images
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz, [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023
Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz, [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0006_003.mp3Interview with Karen Morcke and Diane Hansen by Kathy Bossort October 9, 2015 - Track 4
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory566
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1988-2015
- Length
- 0:05:37
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Karen Morcke and Diane Hansen describing other environmental organizations that worked with Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society or on which they were members, including Burnaby Lake Park Association, GVRD Creating Our Future report (1990), and IMPACT. Karen …
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Karen Morcke and Diane Hansen describing other environmental organizations that worked with Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society or on which they were members, including Burnaby Lake Park Association, GVRD Creating Our Future report (1990), and IMPACT. Karen Morcke talks about the role that Burnaby Mountain Centennial Park plays in addition to the conservation area.
- Date Range
- 1988-2015
- Length
- 0:05:37
- Names
- Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society
- Burnaby Lake Park Association
- Burnaby Mountain Centennial Park
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
- Interviewer
- Bossort, Kathy
- Interview Date
- October 9, 2015
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Karen Morcke and Diane Hansen conducted by Kathy Bossort. Karen Morcke and Diane Hansen were two of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about the history and activities of the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society of which Karen Morcke and Diane Hansen were founding members, and the environmental and recreational value of the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Karen Morcke also talks about walking the trails on Burnaby Mountain from 1968 to present and her involvement in other environmental groups.
- Biographical Notes
- Diane Hansen was born in Winnipeg in 1941, trained as a nurse in Toronto, and moved with her husband Ingolf Hansen to the Westridge Area in Burnaby in 1971, where Diane lived until 2010. Diane has one daughter Kristin. Karen Morcke was born in Germany in 1940, immigrating to Canada in 1968 to attend SFU. After completing her Masters degree in 1970 Karen was hired by SFU as a language instructor from which she retired in 1995. She has one son Erik and has lived almost continuously in North Burnaby since 1968. Both Diane Hansen and Karen Morcke have been active volunteers in local environmental groups and were founding members of the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which formed about 1989 to lobby for a conservation area that integrated SFU land below the campus ring road with City of Burnaby parkland on Burnaby Mountain. Diane has also been active in wild bird rescue groups. Karen walked the trails on Burnaby Mountain to and from work, and began lobbying for protection of green space on Burnaby Mountain in the 1970s.
- Total Tracks
- 6
- Total Length
- 1:10:35
- Interviewee Name
- Morcke, Karen
- Hansen, H. Diane
- Interview Location
- Karen Morcke'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
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
Audio Tracks
Track four of interview with Karen Morcke and Diane Hansen
Track four of interview with Karen Morcke and Diane Hansen
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS196-003/MSS196-003_Track_4.mp3