Helen 'The Swinging Girl' Neon Sign
- 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
- 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
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Kingsway-Beresford Neighbourhood
Lake City Neighbourhood
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1925-1954
- Heritage Value
- When the Lake City Industrial Park first opened in the 1950's, it was a fairly isolated industrial enclave with convenient access to rail and road transportation routes. The sense of entrepreneurial flare and success that was anticipated for the area is evident in the naming of local streets which include "Production", "Enterprise" and "Venture". The anticipated potential of the area was also demonstrated by the inclusion of many significant development amenities of the time, such as paved streets, site landscaping, rail service, natural gas service, and architectural controls.
- Planning Study Area
- Lake City Area
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Lake City Neighbourhood
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1955-2008
- Heritage Value
- When Simon Fraser University opened in 1965, approximately sixteen industrial properties had been developed in the Lake City Industrial Park. In addition, significant tracts of land in the western portion had been pre-cleared and graded in anticipation of additional development, while most of the eastern half remained forested. Some of the early companies to locate in the area were Nabob Foods, Volkswagen Canada, British Columbia Television Broadcasting, Simpson Sears, and H.Y. Louie Company Limited. Both Imperial Oil and Shell Oil established petroleum storage and distribution facilities in the area. Initially a heavy industrial area, by 1979, single family neighbourhoods south of Lougheed Highway and west of Eagle Creek had been largely developed. By the mid1980's, the Burnaby 200 multi-family development along Forest Grove Drive had also been completed.
- Planning Study Area
- Lake City Area
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Lakeview Elementary School
Lakeview-Mayfield Neighbourhood
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1955-2008
- Heritage Value
- Like many other areas of the City, the Lakeview-Mayfield Neighbourhood was subdivided during the 1950s post-war building boom. Pockets of newer homes were built in the 1970s, and the neighbourhood retained its character as a primarily residential area. The neighbourhood is bordered to the east by Robert Burnaby Park.
- Planning Study Area
- Lakeview-Mayfield Area
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Lochdale Neighbourhood
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1925-1954
- Heritage Value
- In the 1931 "Burnaby Year Book" the Lochdale neighbourhood is described as follows: "Lochdale…is situated at the intersection of the Hastings-Barnet road at the point where Sperling Avenue crosses…Situated at the intersection…there are an up to date service station and a general store, at which the Lochdale Post Office is situated. Immediately north of this is the seventy acres on which the Shell Oil Co. are to build an up-to-date refinery...On going south on Sperling Avenue can be found some lovely homes of the residents, all of which possess the most beautiful flower gardens, some of which are hobbies, and some being in the nature of a business. Others are engaged in chicken farming...while others find employment at the Barnet Mill about two miles east on the Hastings-Barnet Road."
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Lochdale Area
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Lochdale Neighbourhood
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1955-2008
- Heritage Value
- Despite the rapid growth witnessed in Burnaby in the post-war years, the Lochdale Neighbourhood was characterised as a close-knit primarily residential community. Although a commercial zone developed along Sperling and Hastings, single-family, duplex and multi-family homes were the primary buildings in the area. Basement suites and student accommodation also flourished in this neighbourhood after the creation of Simon Fraser University on Burnaby Mountain.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Lochdale Area
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Lochdale School
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Geographic Access
- Aubrey Street
- Associated Dates
- 1953
- Heritage Value
- Lochdale Community School was opened in 1953 to help alleviate the increased enrolment at Sperling Elementary School caused by the new subdivisions under construction in this section of Burnaby. Lochdale was typical of the schools built at the period with classrooms constructed in a line, as close as possible to ground level. As needed, new classrooms were extended in a line and there were additions to Lochdale in 1962, 1964, 1966, 1971 and 1976.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Lochdale Area
- Street Address
- 6990 Aubrey Street
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
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Lozells Neighbourhood
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1925-1954
- Heritage Value
- Like a lot of residential neighbourhoods in Burnaby during the post-War boom, the Lozells area during the 1925-1954 period was one of new construction and subdivisions. Although more homes were being built, the neighbourhood still retained a somewhat rural characteristic well into the 1950s.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Lozells (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Government Road Area
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Lyndhurst Elementary School
Lyndhurst Neighbourhood
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1955-2008
- Heritage Value
- The Lyndhurst Neighbourhood falls within the Lougheed Town Centre area - one of four Town Centres in Burnaby. The Lyndhurst Neighbourhood accounts for a significant portion of the residential component of the Town Centre. To the east of Stoney Creek Park, lies the Sullivan Heights single family subdivision which was built in the 1950s. To the west of the park, is a higher-density residential area consisting of multi-family buildings that were developed after 1974.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burquitlam (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Lyndhurst Area
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Marlborough Elementary School
Marlborough Neighbourhood
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1955-2008
- Heritage Value
- The Marlborough Neighbourhood is another residential area that was witness to rapid growth and subdivision during the 1950s and 1960s, creating primarily single-family housing stock. In the 1970s and 1980s, as the commercial district around Kingsway grew, so too did higher density housing projects such as townhomes and condominiums.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Marlborough Area
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Maywood Neighbourhood
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1955-2008
- Heritage Value
- Burnaby's Maywood Neighbourhood consists of the Metrotown Town Centre - one of four Town Centres in the City. Metrotown is one of the region's most developed and fastest growing centres. It is served by the first SkyTrain line developed in the mid-1980s and anchored by B.C.'s largest shopping and entertainment complex. As an older centre that has progressively added new developments over the years, Metrotown offers a range of housing types and tenures from three-storey walk-up apartments to modern residential towers.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Maywood Area
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McPherson Park Junior High School
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Geographic Access
- Rumble Street
- Associated Dates
- 1951-1993
- Heritage Value
- In 1950, the Burnaby School Inspector reported: "the recent development of a number of large housing projects and the continuing growth of new homes in settled areas are compelling the Board to consider a building program of major proportions...now under construction, including McPherson Park with 21 classrooms." Enrolment in its first year was 686 students. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, junior high schools were replaced with expanded secondary schools encompassing grades 7 through 12; as a result, McPherson Park Junior High was closed and Burnaby South Secondary School opened.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Alta Vista (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Clinton-Glenwood Area
- Street Address
- 5455 Rumble Street
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
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Morley-Buckingham Neighbourhood
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1955-2008
- Heritage Value
- In the 1980 "Residential Neighbourhood Environment Study," the Morley-Buckingham Neighbourhood is described as "perhaps Burnaby's most prestigious residential area. The lots are larger than most other areas of the Municipality and this, along with the new expensive housing developed over the past 10 years, has created a very desirable residential neighbourhood...The older area of Buckingham lies at the lower edge of the slope and here the homes and streets are more uniform and aged between 20 and 25 years old...to the east of Canada Way lies...a cluster townhouse development."
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Morley-Buckingham Area
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North Burnaby Cenotaph
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Description
- The North Burnaby Cenotaph is located in Confederation Park at the north end of the park on axis with the adjacent sports oval. The form of the memorial is of an obelisk atop a solid rectangular base, adorned with plaques commemorating those lost in the First World War, Second World War and the Kor…
- Associated Dates
- 1953
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Geographic Access
- Willingdon Avenue
- Associated Dates
- 1953
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Enactment Type
- Bylaw No. 9807
- Enactment Date
- 23/11/1992
- Description
- The North Burnaby Cenotaph is located in Confederation Park at the north end of the park on axis with the adjacent sports oval. The form of the memorial is of an obelisk atop a solid rectangular base, adorned with plaques commemorating those lost in the First World War, Second World War and the Korean War.
- Heritage Value
- Built in 1953 by stonemason and First World War Veteran, Walter Holmes Morrice, the cenotaph was erected by the North Burnaby Legion Post #148 and is one of four memorials to citizens of Burnaby whose lives were lost at war.
Strategically placed in an active and vibrant public park that was dedicated in 1927 and is used for sports, family outings and social gatherings, the cenotaph celebrates the freedoms that soldiers gave their lives to protect. The cenotaph is still used as a memorial site and bears witness to annual Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Built of irregular granite blocks, the cenotaph is a solid structure of modest ornamentation that visually anchors the north end of the park. The site of the cenotaph and its adjacent gardens are surrounded by a simple barrier of continuous chain supported by low metal fence posts, providing a sense of solemnity and ceremony to the site.
- Defining Elements
- The character-defining elements of the North Burnaby Cenotaph include its:
- axial location in the park and setting among active municipal facilities such as a school and library
- strong symmetry of massing and design
- obelisk form set atop a rectangular base
- limited palette of materials
- random coursed granite used as primary building material
- bronze plaques commemorating the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War
- surrounding pathways and flowerbeds
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Capitol Hill (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Capitol Hill Area
- Organization
- North Burnaby Legion Post #148
- Builder
- Walter Holmes Morrice
- Function
- Primary Current--Park Fixture
- Primary Historic--Park Fixture
- Community
- Burnaby
- Cadastral Identifier
- P.I.D. No. 017-040-752
Legal Description: Parcel 1, District Lots 122 and 188, Group 1, New Westminster District, Plan NWP87902
- Boundaries
- The property (Confederation Park) is comprised of a single municipally-owned property located at 250 Willingdon Avenue, Burnaby.
- Area
- 184,160.00
- Contributing Resource
- Landscape Feature
- Structure
- Ownership
- Public (local)
- Documentation
- Heritage Site Files: PC77000 20. City of Burnaby Planning and Building Department, 4949 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C., V5G 1M2
- Street Address
- 250 Willingdon Avenue
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