Search Results | Heritage Burnaby

Helen 'The Swinging Girl' Neon Sign

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark591

Repository: Burnaby Heritage Planning

Description: Commercial building.

Associated Dates: 1956

Formal Recognition: Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register

Other Names: Helen's Childrens Wear Sign

Street View URL: Google Maps Street View

3 images

Repository: Burnaby Heritage Planning

Other Names: Helen's Childrens Wear Sign

Geographic Access: Hastings Street

Associated Dates: 1956

Formal Recognition: Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register

Enactment Type: Bylaw No. 12771

Enactment Date: 19/04/2010

Description: Commercial building.

Heritage Value: While the building here is of some importance as the former North Burnaby municipal office, its primary importance is its delightful neon sign that has become a North Burnaby landmark. Helen Arnold opened Helen’s Childrens Wear shop in the building next door to the old Municipal offices in 1948. In 1955, when North Burnaby moved out, she moved into the vacated building. As part of the renovations, Helen enlisted the assistance of her good friend Jimmy Wallace, owner of Vancouver’s Wallace Neon Company, to create a new sign for her expanded business. One of the company’s designers, Reeve Lehman, created the swinging neon girl that was installed in 1956. Designed in two parts, one section of the sign is cloud shaped and reads ‘Helen’s’ while the other section is a moving representation of a little girl on a swing. The sign is nine feet six inches high and nine feet wide, and the lower section is animated with an internal motor and gears. It immediately became a landmark on Hastings Street, and recently the sign’s design fame has spread far and wide as one of the best surviving examples of kinetic neon art in North America.

Locality: Vancouver Heights

Historic Neighbourhood: Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Willingdon Heights Area

Community: Burnaby

Names: Helen's Childrens Wear

Subjects: Buildings - Commercial - Stores; Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards

Street Address: 4142 Hastings Street

Street View URL: Google Maps Street View

Images

View of 'The Swinging Girl' Neon Sign at night, 2010 (View from the west. Other). Copyright: City of Burnaby.. . thumbnail

View of 'The Swinging Girl' Neon Sign from the east, 2013. thumbnail

BBY-4142-Hastings-c1975-502-1441 thumbnail

4674 Southlawn Drive

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37874

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [ca. 1954] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.5 x 3.7 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.7 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of the view from 4674 Southlawn Drive, facing north. A car and houses across the street can be seen. Capitol Hill is visible in the distance.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [ca. 1954] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Burnaby Image Bank subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.5 x 3.7 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.7 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 370-462

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1999-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of the view from 4674 Southlawn Drive, facing north. A car and houses across the street can be seen. Capitol Hill is visible in the distance.

Subjects: Transportation - Automobiles; Buildings - Residential - Houses

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; 1 b&w copy negative accompanying; Negative has a pink cast

Geographic Access: Southlawn Drive

Planning Study Area: Brentwood Area

Images

4674 Southlawn Drive, [ca. 1954] (date of original), copied 1991 thumbnail

Annie Ellis-King and Car

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37764

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [ca. 1950] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 4.5 cm print on contact sheet 20.5 x 26.4 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of Annie King-Ellis, posing with a car at the front of 6113 Silver Avenue, the Ellis family home.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [ca. 1950] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Burnaby Image Bank subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 4.5 cm print on contact sheet 20.5 x 26.4 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 370-352

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1999-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of Annie King-Ellis, posing with a car at the front of 6113 Silver Avenue, the Ellis family home.

Subjects: Transportation - Automobiles; Buildings - Residential - Houses

Names: Ellis, Annie King

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; 1 b&w copy negative accompanying; Negative has a pink cast

Geographic Access: Silver Avenue

Street Address: 6113 Silver Avenue

Historic Neighbourhood: Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Maywood Area

Images

Annie Ellis-King and Car, [ca. 1950] (date of original), copied 1991 thumbnail

Dan Murray on a bicycle

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37563

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1953 and 1957] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 1.8 cm print on contact sheet 20.2 x 25.3 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of Dan Murray on a bicycle in front of 5623 Georgia Street, at the corner of East Georgia and Holdom Avenue. The photograph was taken facing north.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1953 and 1957] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Burnaby Image Bank subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 1.8 cm print on contact sheet 20.2 x 25.3 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 370-151

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1999-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of Dan Murray on a bicycle in front of 5623 Georgia Street, at the corner of East Georgia and Holdom Avenue. The photograph was taken facing north.

Subjects: Transportation - Bicycles; Buildings - Residential - Houses

Names: Murray, Dan

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; 1 b&w copy negative accompanying

Geographic Access: Georgia Street

Street Address: 5623 Georgia Street

Historic Neighbourhood: Capitol Hill (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Parkcrest-Aubrey Area

Images

Dan Murray on a bicycle, [between 1953 and 1957] (date of original), copied 1991 thumbnail

Davies Family Home

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37055

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1950 (date of original), copied 1992

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.5 x 12.3 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of the Davies' home at 224 Boundary Road. A 1950 Studebaker car is parked in front.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1950 (date of original), copied 1992

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Burnaby Centennial Anthology subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.5 x 12.3 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 315-518

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: BHS1994-04

Scope and Content: Photograph of the Davies' home at 224 Boundary Road. A 1950 Studebaker car is parked in front.

Subjects: Transportation - Automobiles; Buildings - Residential - Houses

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access: Boundary Road

Street Address: 224 Boundary Road North

Historic Neighbourhood: Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Burnaby Heights Area

Images

Davies Family Home, 1950 (date of original), copied 1992 thumbnail

Simpsons-Sears engine display

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription17336

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 5 May 1954

Collection/Fonds: Simpsons-Sears Limited Burnaby fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.5 x 25.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of car and truck engines on display inside of the Simpsons-Sears store in Burnaby during the opening on May 5, 1954. Four engines are visible in the photograph.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Simpsons-Sears Limited Burnaby fonds

Series: Simpsons-Sears scrapbook series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.5 x 25.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of car and truck engines on display inside of the Simpsons-Sears store in Burnaby during the opening on May 5, 1954. Four engines are visible in the photograph.

Subjects: Buildings - Commercial - Department Stores; Events - Openings; Transportation - Automobiles; Transportation - Trucks

Names: Simpsons-Sears Limited

Geographic Access: Kingsway

Street Address: 4750 Kingsway

Accession Code: BV021.26.86

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: 5 May 1954

Media Type: Photograph

Historic Neighbourhood: Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Maywood Area

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2021-09-21

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Photograph was removed from original scrapbook with newspaper clippings, photographs and ephemera

Images

Simpsons-Sears engine display, 5 May 1954 thumbnail

Esso Filling Station

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34591

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1958

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.2 x 25.4 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of the Esso filling station at Lake City with trucks parked in an industrial area.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1958

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Photographs subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.2 x 25.4 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 064-001

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: BHS2007-04

Scope and Content: Photograph of the Esso filling station at Lake City with trucks parked in an industrial area.

Subjects: Buildings - Industrial; Buildings - Commercial - Service Stations; Transportation - Trucks

Names: Esso

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Planning Study Area: Lake City Area

Images

Paneloc marketing report

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription15067

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [between 1957 and 1960]

Collection/Fonds: Elmer Wilson Martin fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 report : 5 photographs + 6 architectural drawings : blueline prints ; 55 x 85 cm + 1 architectural drawing : blueline print ; 46 x 55 cm

Scope and Content: Item consists of a report created by Paneloc Marketing Ltd. 4217 Hastings Street Burnaby B.C. Architectural drawings within the report are drawn by Jack Pearl and designed by Elmer W. Martin, P. Engineer. Architectural drawings included in the report are titled; Paneloc Homes - All Models (2 drawin…

7 images

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Elmer Wilson Martin fonds

Series: Paneloc Marketing Ltd. business records series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 report : 5 photographs + 6 architectural drawings : blueline prints ; 55 x 85 cm + 1 architectural drawing : blueline print ; 46 x 55 cm

Material Details: Scales differ between 1"=60" and 3/4"=1'-0"

Scope and Content: Item consists of a report created by Paneloc Marketing Ltd. 4217 Hastings Street Burnaby B.C. Architectural drawings within the report are drawn by Jack Pearl and designed by Elmer W. Martin, P. Engineer. Architectural drawings included in the report are titled; Paneloc Homes - All Models (2 drawings); Paneloc Homes - Model 6 - 28 Panel (3 drawings) ; Paneloc Homes - Model 6-24 Panel (1 drawing) ; Paneloc Homes - Model 4 -20 Panel (1 drawing). The report includes five photographs of paneloc homes including two of completed homes and three of a paneloc building in various stages of assembly.

Creator: Pearl, Jack; Martin, Elmer W.; Paneloc Marketing Limited

Subjects: Buildings - Residential - Houses; Buildings - Residential

Names: Paneloc Marketing Limited

Responsibility: Panel Marketing Limited

Accession Code: BV019.40.3

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: [between 1957 and 1960]

Media Type: Photograph; Architectural Drawing

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: February 5, 2021

Scale: 100

Notes: Title based on contents of report; Architectural drawings were unfolded and removed from duotang binding; According to an advertisement dated June 14, 1957 for Paneloc Manufacturing in the Vancouver Province newspaper, a paneloc display model was available for viewing at 6635 East Hastings Street in Burnaby. Some of the photographs within this report may have been at this location.; Architectural drawings have reproduction and access restrictions. Contact Burnaby Village Museum to view.

Images

Paneloc marketing report, [between 1957 and 1960] thumbnail

Burnaby's new fleet of fire trucks

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36138

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1956 or 1957]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 18.5 x 23.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of the new fleet of Burnaby's 1956 American LaFrance pumper fire trucks lined in a row in front of the Municipal Hall. The fifth truck has its ladder extended. Reeve Charles MacSorley, Fire Chief William Menzies, and Councillor Fred Philps are standing in front of the second truck. There…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1956 or 1957]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Burnaby Public Library photograph subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 18.5 x 23.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 226-001

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: BHS1989-22

Scope and Content: Photograph of the new fleet of Burnaby's 1956 American LaFrance pumper fire trucks lined in a row in front of the Municipal Hall. The fifth truck has its ladder extended. Reeve Charles MacSorley, Fire Chief William Menzies, and Councillor Fred Philps are standing in front of the second truck. There is snow on the ground and the three men are wearing winter coats.

Subjects: Transportation - Fire Trucks; Occupations - Fire Fighters; Buildings - Civic - City Halls; Officials - Alderman and Councillors; Officials - Mayors and Reeves

Names: MacSorley, Charles W.; Menzies, William "Bill"; Philps, Fred; Burnaby Fire Department

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Dominion Photo Company

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Other title info: photographer's negative no. 38487

Street Address: 4949 Canada Way

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Douglas-Gilpin Area

Images

Burnaby's new fleet of fire trucks, [1956 or 1957] thumbnail

Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory466

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1927-1990

Length: 00:04:05

Summary: This portion of the interview is about the equipment used by the fire department over the years, in particular about the pump and ladder trucks, and about Chief Waddell's wise choice of locations for the fire halls.

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about the equipment used by the fire department over the years, in particular about the pump and ladder trucks, and about Chief Waddell's wise choice of locations for the fire halls.

Date Range: 1927-1990

Length: 00:04:05

Names: Waddell, Gordon

Subjects: Public Services - Fire Protection; Buildings - Civic; Transportation - Fire Trucks

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: February 21, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Al Nixon, conducted by Rod Fowler. Al Nixon 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 mainly about the history and operations of the Burnaby Fire Department from its beginning in 1911 to 1990, and Al Nixon’s stories about the various ways photographs, records and artifacts about the department were collected and saved. The interview takes place while looking at photographs, but the information is clear nonetheless (His photographs have been deposited in the Burnaby Archives). Al Nixon also talks about his father's career as a firefighter, and about his Douglas grandparents and their home “The Gables” [Seven Gables] and neighbourhood in Burquitlam. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Al Nixon was born in New Westminster Feb. 8, 1936, the son of Provincial Fire Marshal Basil Nixon (1904-1975) and Agnes Douglas (1909-?). His mother’s family immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1922 and lived in a large ca. 1900 home in Burquitlam at 9957 Sullivan Road called “Seven Gables” (recently demolished). His grandfather Thomas Douglas, a Coquitlam Councillor and Socialist, was murdered in 1934 in his North Road service station. Al Nixon began his career as a firefighter with the Burnaby Fire Department in 1957, eventually becoming Deputy Fire Chief Operations in 1987 and Fire Chief in 1991, before retiring in 1993. In the mid 1980's Al Nixon became interested in the department’s history after finding a photograph scrapbook at one of the firehalls. It was in very bad condition but he recognized its value and began a project to collect and save photographs, artifacts and stories about the Burnaby Fire Department, a 6 month project that turned into years. The photographs and information gathered by Al Nixon became part of Douglas Penn’s book “Follow that Fire: the history of the Burnaby Fire Department”.

Total Tracks: 8

Total Length: 0:43:35

Interviewee Name: Nixon, Al

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

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

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.

Audio Tracks

Track three of interview with Al Nixon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_3.mp3

LaFrance Class A Quintuplet

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1681

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [after 1956]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph: sepia photocopy ; 10 x 14 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of Burnaby Fire Department's 1956 LaFrance Class A Quintuplet fire truck, considered "five fire trucks in one" because it served as a chemical truck (now a water tank), a hose truck, pumper truck, city service ladder truck and 100 ft aerial ladder truck. Truck no. 8 is parked in front of…

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph: sepia photocopy ; 10 x 14 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of Burnaby Fire Department's 1956 LaFrance Class A Quintuplet fire truck, considered "five fire trucks in one" because it served as a chemical truck (now a water tank), a hose truck, pumper truck, city service ladder truck and 100 ft aerial ladder truck. Truck no. 8 is parked in front of fire hall no. 3.

Subjects: Transportation - Fire Trucks; Buildings - Civic - Fire Halls

Names: Burnaby Fire Department

Geographic Access: Marlborough Avenue

Street Address: 6511 Marlborough Avenue

Accession Code: BV002.75.3

Access Restriction: Restricted access

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: [after 1956]

Media Type: Photograph

Historic Neighbourhood: Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Marlborough Area

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 09-Jun-09

Scale: 100

Notes: Typed note on recto of photograph reads: "First in Canada 1956"; Typed note on verso of photograph reads: "Five fire trucks in one. Chemical -- Now water trank Hose truck. Pumper truck. City service ladder truck. Aerial ladder truck 100 ft."; Address sticker on verso of photograph reads: "Mr F. Blake 4165 Pandora Street Burnaby, B.C. Canada V5C 2B2"