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A Brief Regarding a Comprehensive Transportation Plan for Burnaby and the Implementation Strategy for Achieving this Plan
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport20368
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 14424
- Meeting Date
- 10-Dec-1979
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 83
- Item No.
- 21
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 14424
- Meeting Date
- 10-Dec-1979
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 83
- Item No.
- 21
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
A Comprehensive Transportation Plan for Burnaby
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport20668
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 14102
- Meeting Date
- 20-Aug-1979
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 56
- Item No.
- 1
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 14102
- Meeting Date
- 20-Aug-1979
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 56
- Item No.
- 1
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
A Comprehensive Transportation Plan for Burnaby
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport20719
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 14034
- Meeting Date
- 30-Jul-1979
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 14034
- Meeting Date
- 30-Jul-1979
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Appointments to the Transportation Committee
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport22197
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 14670
- Meeting Date
- 20-Mar-1978
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 14670
- Meeting Date
- 20-Mar-1978
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Brief from the Citizens Coalition on Transportation re: Truck Routes and the Transportation of Goods
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport24115
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 17409
- Meeting Date
- 3-Aug-1976
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 50
- Item No.
- 26
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 17409
- Meeting Date
- 3-Aug-1976
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 50
- Item No.
- 26
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Burnaby Comprehensive Transportation Plan - Implementation Strategy
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport20390
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 14363
- Meeting Date
- 26-Nov-1979
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 14363
- Meeting Date
- 26-Nov-1979
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Burnaby Transportation Study
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport30998
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 23343
- Meeting Date
- 5-Apr-1971
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 23
- Item No.
- 10
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 23343
- Meeting Date
- 5-Apr-1971
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 23
- Item No.
- 10
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Burnaby Transportation Study to 1985
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport26714
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 19721
- Meeting Date
- 11-Jun-1974
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 19721
- Meeting Date
- 11-Jun-1974
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Burnaby Transportation Study to 1985
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport26839
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 19584
- Meeting Date
- 13-May-1974
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 19584
- Meeting Date
- 13-May-1974
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Burnaby Transportation Study to 1985
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport21967
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 14901
- Meeting Date
- 29-May-1978
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 42
- Item No.
- 1
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 14901
- Meeting Date
- 29-May-1978
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 42
- Item No.
- 1
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Canadian Air Transportation Administration
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport28146
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 21091
- Meeting Date
- 11-Jun-1973
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 43
- Item No.
- 8
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 21091
- Meeting Date
- 11-Jun-1973
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 43
- Item No.
- 8
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Distribution of the Transportation Policy Review Brochure
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport21535
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 15343
- Meeting Date
- 30-Oct-1978
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 76
- Item No.
- 22
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 15343
- Meeting Date
- 30-Oct-1978
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 76
- Item No.
- 22
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Draft Policy Statement of GVRD re: Transportation Study
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport26723
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 19683
- Meeting Date
- 10-Jun-1974
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 43
- Item No.
- 24
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 19683
- Meeting Date
- 10-Jun-1974
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 43
- Item No.
- 24
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Draft Transportation Policies For Burnaby
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport21060
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 13693
- Meeting Date
- 9-Apr-1979
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 13693
- Meeting Date
- 9-Apr-1979
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Draft Transportation Policies for Burnaby
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport21232
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 13523
- Meeting Date
- 12-Feb-1979
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 13523
- Meeting Date
- 12-Feb-1979
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Inter-City Express (1965) Limited; British Pacific Transport Limited; Overland Freight Lines Limited - 7976 Winston Street
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport30654
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 23655
- Meeting Date
- 12-Jul-1971
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 45
- Item No.
- 18
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 23655
- Meeting Date
- 12-Jul-1971
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 45
- Item No.
- 18
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Inter-City Express (1965) Limited; British Pacific Transport Limited; Overland Freight Lines Limited - 7976 Winston Street
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport31019
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 23319
- Meeting Date
- 29-Mar-1971
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 21
- Item No.
- 1
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 23319
- Meeting Date
- 29-Mar-1971
- Format
- Council - Manager's Report
- Manager's Report No.
- 21
- Item No.
- 1
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Interview with Bill Gruenthal
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19636
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1950-2023] (interview content), interviewed 31 Jul. 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (74 min., 37 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (74 min., 37 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Bill Gruenthal conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, Eric Damer on July 31 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:27:01 Bill Gruenthal provides details on his family background, his early life experiences, how he got into the insurance business,…
- 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) (74 min., 37 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (74 min., 37 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Eric Damer Interviewee: Bill Gruenthal Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: July 31, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:14:37 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 Bill Gruenthal conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, Eric Damer on July 31 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:27:01 Bill Gruenthal provides details on his family background, his early life experiences, how he got into the insurance business, his knowledge and interest in Judaism, places that he and his wife lived before moving to Burnaby, family life in Burnaby and his political involvement in running for the Burnaby school board. 00:27:02 – 00:42:50 Bill Gruenthal talks about the Burquest Jewish Community Association, it’s background and his involvement, experiences of discrimination in his career, a brief history of the Jewish people and some cultural traditions. 00:42:51 – 00:56:04 Bill Gruenthal mentions some of the charities that he supports including Burnaby Hospital, his volunteer work within the community and community organizations including the Nikkei Place Foundation and shares more details on his insurance career. 00:56:05 – 01:14:37 Bill Gruenthal shares information about his Burnaby neighbourhood and Jewish funeral customs and provides his impressions of new development at Brentwood, Burnaby Council and other development projects in Burnaby.
- History
- Interviewee biography: Bill Gruenthal was born in the British Mandate of Palestine, now Israel, in 1935 after his parents had fled Germany in advance of the then worsening political situation. Bill’s father died in 1942; some years later his mother remarried to an Irish-born senior civil servant in that government. He had a difficult and somewhat dangerous job. Soon after marriage, the family, including Bill’s older brother, Martin, immigrated to Canada in January 1947 on the strength of his step-father’s British Passport. They traveled via New York, where Bill’s uncle and his family resided and who put up the family. Later that month, the parents travelled by CP rail from Montreal to Vancouver, followed by Bill and his brother in March 1947 who travelled from New York to White Rock on an American railroad. While passing through the Fraser Valley Bill’s parents took an interest in Silverdale, a small hamlet west of Mission where the four eventually settled. Bill finished High School in Mission and soon joined the insurance industry. Bill connected with the Jewish Community in Vancouver where he met his soon-to-be wife. Upon marriage they were transferred to Calgary; after five years suffering its cold weather they were transferred back to Vancouver. They settled in Burnaby in 1966 as an affordable neighbourhood with easy access to his office downtown Vancouver. Outside work, Bill helped raise his family of three daughters who all graduated Burnaby High School (Alpha). They joined Temple Sholom in Vancouver, and he volunteered and still volunteers for a number of non-profits, including The Jewish Museum and Archives and Nikkei Place Foundation (Burnaby). He was an early long-term supporter and a past president of Burquest Jewish Community Association, mostly involving persons from Burnaby, New Westminster, and the Tri-Cities area (hence the name). He ran for political office in Burnaby in 1976 but was not elected. He delivers food in Burnaby for the Food Bank and is a donor to many worthy causes including Burnaby General Hospital. 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
- Migration
- Persons - Jewish Canadians
- Transportation
- Transportation - Rail
- Religions - Judaism
- Cemeteries
- Organizations
- Elections
- Names
- Gruenthal, Bill
- Gruenthal, Noemi Yadlow
- O'Connor, Herta Ingrid Gruenthal
- O'Connor, John
- Burquest
- Jacobson, Max Alec
- Temple Shalom
- Brentwood Shopping Centre
- Brentwood Park School
- Alpha Secondary School
- Burnaby School Board
- Responsibility
- Damer, Eric
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.14
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1950-2023] (interview content), interviewed 31 Jul. 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Planning Study Area
- Brentwood Area
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Bill Gruenthal, [1950-2023] (interview content), interviewed 31 Jul. 2023
Interview with Bill Gruenthal, [1950-2023] (interview content), interviewed 31 Jul. 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0014_003.mp3![Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz, [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0006_001.jpg?width=280)
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
![Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz, [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0006_001.jpg)
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 Maninder Arora
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19351
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1974-2022] (interview content), interviewed 7 Dec. 2022
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (67 min., 25 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (66 min., 45 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Maninder Arora conducted by Anushay Malik with assistance from Museum Registrar James Binks. 0:00 – 07:33 Interview opens with introductions. Maninder Arora shares her immigration story and how she came to emigrate from India to Canada…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (67 min., 25 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (66 min., 45 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewers: Anushay Malik Co interviewer: James Binks Interviewee: Maninder Arora Location of Interview: In Burnaby at the home of Maninder Arora Interview Date: December 7, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: (01:07:25) Digital master recordings (wav) were edited into one recording and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Maninder Arora conducted by Anushay Malik with assistance from Museum Registrar James Binks. 0:00 – 07:33 Interview opens with introductions. Maninder Arora shares her immigration story and how she came to emigrate from India to Canada at 16 years of age with her mother, her older sister (18 yrs) and her younger brother (11 yrs) in 1974. Maninder explains how her sister immigrated first after marrying a South Asian Canadian and subsequently was able to sponsor members of her family to immigrate about one year later. Arora describes what life was like for her and her family in the northern part of Punjab in India prior to immigration to Canada. Arora describes her family composition with her being the second youngest of eight children and how at the time of immigrating, four of her elder siblings (three sisters and one brother) stayed behind. 07:34 – 16:23 As a new immigrant to Canada at the age of 16 years of age, Maninder Arora recalls the many challenges that she faced. Maninder describes how she attended Vancouver Technical School and then worked at a restaurant on Friday nights and weekends. She recollects how she got her first job through the Sikh community from the Akali Singh Sikh Gurdwara on Fraser Street. Maninder recalls that during the first five months in Canada, Maninder, her mother, sister and brother lived with her elder sister, her husband and child before finding a place of their own. Arora recalls where her family shopped for traditional Indian spices and foods. 16:24 – 25:50 Maninder Arora describes the next home that her family moved to and how she and her brother attended David Thompson Secondary School. Maninder explains that she dropped out of school in Grade 12 to go to work full time to help her family repay the debt that they owed for their immigration expenses. Around 1981, her mother was able to purchase a house at Marine Drive and Ross Street and her mother got work at the same restaurant that Maninder was working. Maninder shares and reflects on a disturbing encounter of racism that she and her older sister faced while taking local transit. 25:51 – 34:17 Maninder Arora talks about her past work experience. Maninder describes how with the help of her sister, she began working as a nurses' aide at care homes and private hospitals. Maninder reflects on how she intended to get a job in a unionized care home where she can make a better living wage. Maninder describes some of the places that she worked before obtaining certification as a nurse’s aide from Kwantlen College. 34;18 – 51:15 Maninder Arora describes the events that led to her marrying her future husband in 1986 and how it wasn’t an easy decision for her. Maninder describes where she and her family lived after her marriage and how her hard work led her to obtaining full time employment as a nurses' aide in Richmond. 51:16 - 56:16 Maninder Arora tells of how she decided to move to Burnaby where her sister and extended family were living. Maninder recalls what lead to her decision to move from Surrey to Burnaby in 1992. 56:17 - 1:04:23 Maninder Arora shares some experiences of her life in Burnaby. Maninder further reflects on her decisions for moving to Burnaby including providing what she thought would be a safer environment and education for her children. Maninder conveys how racism is still very much prevalent in society and recounts a personal encounter that she experienced while shopping for shoes at Metrotown. 1:04:24 – 1:06:45 The interviewer asks Maninder Arora what she would like to see conveyed as a message for younger people in an upcoming exhibit at Burnaby Village Museum on South Asian history. Maninder conveys that she would like all Canadian citizens living in Burnaby to make the environment better by not littering, living peacefully together and not causing people grief or struggle for nothing, “Be kind to each other”. In closing Arora shares the transportation route she took when emigrating from India to Canada.
- History
- Interviewee biography: Maninder Arora was born in the northern part of Punjab, India. Her sister immigrated to Canada in 1974 after marrying a South Asian Canadian. In 1975, after her father died, her sister was able to bring her mother, her 11 year old brother and Maninder at 16 years of age. After arriving in British Columbia, they first lived with her sister and family before finding a place of their own. Maninder attended Vancouver Technical School and later David Thompson Secondary School and worked in a restaurant on weekends to help her family out. Maninder and her family were members of the Sikh community and attended Akali Singh Sikh Gurdwara on Fraser Street. Maninder left school in Grade 12 to work full time to help her family repay the debt that they owed for their immigration expenses. In the early 1980’s Maninder’s family moved to a house near Marine Drive and Ross Street that her mother was able to purchase. With the help of her sister, Maninder got work as a nurses’ aide at care homes and private hospitals which eventually led her to obtaining certification from Kwantlen College. Maninder married in 1986 and had two children while living in Richmond. Around 1992, she moved from Surrey to Burnaby to be closer to her sister and to provide as safer environment for her children. Interviewers' biographies: Anushay Malik is labor historian with a geographical focus on South Asia. Anushay studied at the University of London and was a research fellow at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In 2014, Anushay moved back to her native Pakistan and joined Lahore University of Management Services as an Assistant Professor. In 2023, Anushay is a visiting scholar at Simon Fraser University and lives in Burnaby with her family. Anushay was a co-curator of the Burnaby Village Museum exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”. James Binks has lived in the Lower Mainland since 2009 after relocating from Ontario. James holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia, where he conducted researched on heritage, environment, and globalization in India, Nepal, and Italy. At Burnaby Village Museum, James contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Occupations
- Occupations - Nurses
- Migration
- Names
- Arora, Maninder
- Responsibility
- Malik, Anushay
- Binks, James
- Accession Code
- BV022.29.6
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1974-2022] (interview content), interviewed 7 Dec. 2022
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Maninder Arora, [1974-2022] (interview content), interviewed 7 Dec. 2022
Interview with Maninder Arora, [1974-2022] (interview content), interviewed 7 Dec. 2022
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0006_003.mp3