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Interview with John Kirbyson by Kathy Bossort September 28, 2015 - Track 4

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory559

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1980-2005

Length: 0:14:23

Summary: This portion of the interview is about John Kirbyson’s impression of the dispute between SFU and the City of Burnaby over land use and control on Burnaby Mountain, and Parks Dept. interests in the negotiations and agreement. He talks about how changing public values and perception of safety issues …

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about John Kirbyson’s impression of the dispute between SFU and the City of Burnaby over land use and control on Burnaby Mountain, and Parks Dept. interests in the negotiations and agreement. He talks about how changing public values and perception of safety issues affects parks management.

Date Range: 1980-2005

Length: 0:14:23

Names: Simon Fraser University; Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department; Mancinelli, Stephen J. "Steve"

Subjects: Geographic Features - Parks; Planning; Recreational Activities

Geographic Access: Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area; Central Park

Interviewer: Bossort, Kathy

Interview Date: September 28, 2015

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with John Kirbyson conducted by Kathy Bossort. John Kirbyson was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about John Kirbyson’s education and career as parks planner for the City of Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, and the development of the 1999 Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area Management Plan. The interview explores how parks management balances environmental and recreational values and safety, and the importance of good guidelines and public input in the parks planning process. John Kirbyson also talks about recreational activities and various developments on Burnaby Mountain in the 1990s, such as the Kamui Mintara sculptures.

Biographical Notes: John Kirbyson was born in Vancouver in 1954, to Arnold and Winnifred Kirbyson. After several years spent in Winnipeg and Calgary, the Kirbyson family moved to Hunter Street in Burnaby in 1969 where John remembers living near the City’s nursery. John earned his BSc degree at SFU in Physical Geography (1973-1978) and then worked for the City of Burnaby Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services between 1978 and 2005, where he moved from labourer to management positions. Supported by the City, he returned to SFU to earn his Masters degree in the School of Resource and Environment Management in 1991, his thesis being on restoration of Deer Lake. He was Manager of Parks Planning, Design and Development in the 1990s at the time that land on Burnaby Mountain was transferred from SFU to the City of Burnaby, and had the opportunity to direct the development of the first management plan for the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. From 2005 to 2010 John was Manager of the Parks, Recreation and Culture Dept. in Penticton, after which he has worked as an environmental consultant for Lees & Associates Landscape Architects and Planners. He is married to wife Linda and has three children: Linnaea, Jeremy and Colin.

Total Tracks: 7

Total Length: 1:33:43

Interviewee Name: Kirbyson, John W.

Interview Location: John Kirbyson's son's home in Langley

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

Series: Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project series

Media Type: Sound Recording

Audio Tracks

Track four of interview with John Kirbyson

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS196-002/MSS196-002_Track_4.mp3

Interview with Joanne Smith

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19601

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1986-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 May 2023

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recording (wav) (24 min., 55 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (24 min., 55 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Joanne Smith conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. 0:00 - 04:04 Joanne Smith provides a brief overview of her immigration story and how she and her husband Stanis came to emigrate from South Africa t…

1 image 1 document 1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: Many Voices Project Interviews subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recording (wav) (24 min., 55 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (24 min., 55 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewer: Eric Damer Interviewee: Joanne Smith Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: May 11, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 24:55 Photograph information: Joanne and Stanis Smith cycling on the Salt Flats, Argentina Digital master recording (m4a) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Joanne Smith conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. 0:00 - 04:04 Joanne Smith provides a brief overview of her immigration story and how she and her husband Stanis came to emigrate from South Africa to Canada in 1986. Joanne explains that they decided to leave South Africa during the Apartheid era and applied to several countries with Canada being their top choice. Joanne relates that they were accepted to Canada based on her professional skills as an occupational therapist. Joanne talks about what she liked about living in South Africa and how she especially loved walking in the game reserves. 04:05 - 11:44 Joanne provides background on her ancestors migration, her life in South Africa and details on her profession. Joanne imparts that her ancestors immigrated to South Africa from Latvia at the turn of the century to avoid conscription and for increased opportunities. Joanne provides a brief overview of her life in South Africa, places that she lived and her education. Joanne provides details and background regarding her practice as an occupational therapist. Joanne explains how she specializes in hand therapy but also works with animals and other varied treatments. 11:45 - 19:29 Joanne talks about her life in Burnaby. Joanne recollects how her family ended up living in the Capitol Hill neighbourhood and provides a brief overview of her community involvement including the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) and the Community Advisory Committee. Joanne shares some of her interests including; riding her tandem bicycle with her husband Stanis, thier love of opera and the symphony, attending concerts in Deer Lake Park and visiting Confederation with her grandchild. Joanne conveys that they like to support the local arts and that they commissioned a twig sculpture for their garden from local artist, Nickie Lewis. 19:30 - 24:55 Joanne shares that ten years after immigrating that they were able to bring family relations including Stanis' parents and brother. Joanne describes the benefits of having Stanis' parents residing with them and provides details on Stanis' parents community involvement in Burnaby. Joanne reflects on her association with her Jewish heritage. Joanne conveys that they aren’t religious but have maintained a few cultural aspects of their Jewish heritage including celebrating bat mitzvahs for both of their daughters and the importance of the Yiddish language. Joanne reflects on what she likes about living in Burnaby and how it’s changed over the 30 years that she’s lived here.

History: Interviewee biography: Joanne was born in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1958 and also spent some time in Klerksdorp and Johannesburg. Her formal education led to a career in occupational therapy, specializing in hand therapy. Uncomfortable with the social and political climate of South Africa at the time, she and her husband Stanis left for Canada in 1986. They soon settled in North Burnaby, where Joanne had a long-time friend, to pursue their respective careers and raise a family. The Smiths brought Stanis’s parents to Burnaby about 1996 and together built a new home. Joanne has been involved in school and community activities, enjoys Burnaby’s parks, and supports local fine arts, particularly music and performing arts. 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.