During the height of the real estate boom between 1909 and 1913, Vancouver developer Frederick Munson plotted the subdivision of more than 150 acres of land on Curtis Street east of Sperling Avenue, on the newly logged slopes of remote Burnaby Mountain. Burnaby opened up Curtis Street to facilitate access to Hastings Grove and Munson agreed to pay one-third of the cost but never did. He also paid only $1000.00 down on the agreed price of the land. When he failed to make further payments, the mortgage holders foreclosed and re-sold the properties. People who had bought lots from Munson lost not only the land they though they owned, but also the money they had paid for it. Hastings Grove was a disaster. The converted automobile - which served as the bus - stopped running. The few houses and most of the lots reverted to the Municipality because of non-payment of taxes and are now part of Burnaby Mountain Park. The only remaining building is the old Hastings Grove Store which still stands as an apartment building.
The Burnaby Lake Line was constructed due to the advocacy of Burnaby residents and the Municipality of Burnaby to build the line. A petition was circulated by residents in 1907, and eventually substantial land bonuses were given to the company to induce them to build the line. Property owners in the area hoped the construction of the line would increase their land values. Construction of the 15-mile line was announced in 1909, and the line opened in 1911. The line travelled from Vancouver to New Westminister through central Burnaby.The last day of service was October 23, 1953. When the Trans Canada highway was constructed in the 1960s, it followed the right of way of the Burnaby Lake Line through Burnaby.
The Coburn House is a two and one-half storey plus basement Foursquare farm house. Prominently situated on a rise of land along the east side of Boundary Road overlooking Kingsway, it stands among single-family houses later constructed on its subdivided farm land.
The Coburn House is a two and one-half storey plus basement Foursquare farm house. Prominently situated on a rise of land along the east side of Boundary Road overlooking Kingsway, it stands among single-family houses later constructed on its subdivided farm land.
Heritage Value
The Coburn House is important as a surviving representation of Burnaby’s early settlement period, when the municipality was largely an agricultural and residential suburb. It was built in 1910 by carpenter William Kirkham for Minerva Jane Coburn (1868-1940), and three years later the builder and client were married. Together, they operated the Surprise Poultry Farm, and were frequent participants at the local Central Park Farmers' Institute Exhibitions.
This house is valued as an excellent and well-preserved example of a substantial Edwardian era Foursquare farm house. Significant due to its generous size, dominant symmetry, the prominent verandah that wraps around the front and both sides, and the three roof dormers, this house retains a high degree of original material and integrity. The elevated siting of the house, its tall proportions and symmetrical appearance combined with its fine condition make this an excellent example of its type.
Defining Elements
Key elements that define the heritage character of the Coburn House include its:
- prominent location on Boundary Road, on an elevated site overlooking Vancouver
- residential form, scale and massing as expressed by its cubic massing and tall, dominant roof form
- Foursquare style as exemplified by its symmetry, square floor plan, pyramidal bellcast roof and three hipped dormers
- Edwardian era construction details such as narrow bevelled wooden siding, broad horizontal eave band with scroll-cut eave brackets, and simple window surrounds
- wraparound verandah encircling three main facades, with hipped roof, square columns and closed balustrades, connected to one storey extension at rear
- projecting bay window on the main floor south facade
- original double-hung 1-over-1 wooden-sash windows, some in double assembly on the ground floor
- internal red brick chimney
The F.J. Hart Estate, 'Avalon,' is comprised of 5.26 hectares of lakefront property now located within Deer Lake Park, an Arts and Crafts/Tudor Revival styled mansion and an associated later outbuilding. The mansion is now operated as the Hart House Restaurant.
Associated Dates
1912
Formal Recognition
Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
Other Names
Hart House, Rosedale Gardens, Frederick John & Alice Hart Estate
The F.J. Hart Estate, 'Avalon,' is comprised of 5.26 hectares of lakefront property now located within Deer Lake Park, an Arts and Crafts/Tudor Revival styled mansion and an associated later outbuilding. The mansion is now operated as the Hart House Restaurant.
Heritage Value
'Avalon' and its estate grounds are important as an illustration of the cultural, aesthetic, and lifestyle values of the wealthy families that settled in the Deer Lake area early in the twentieth century. These values were predominantly those of elegant country living and leisure pursuits.
The estate is important for its connection with wealthy land developer Frederick John Hart (1868-1945), who was not only instrumental in the creation of subdivisions which promoted Deer Lake as an exclusive residential development for successful families in the New Westminster and Vancouver area, but was also an influential member of this new suburban community and of the emerging municipality of Burnaby. Hart had a wide range of business, civic, and political interests: his real-estate company managed many of the land sales in the area and numerous other large developments throughout the region; he was an entrepreneurial businessman associated with a number of companies important to the economic development of the area and British Columbia; and he was a 'public spirited citizen' and an alderman for the City of New Westminster.
The architectural style of ‘Avalon’ set the tone for many of the grand mansions in the adjacent residential development - British Arts and Crafts in derivation, with eclectic details, particularly Tudor precedents. Designed for Hart and his wife Alice Chapman Hart (1867-1935) by Burnaby architect Frank William Macey (1863-1935), the use of references to Tudor England illustrates the relevance and importance to the residents of the area of a strong and visible connection with Britain. The first resident architect in Burnaby, Macey was born and trained in England where he was well-respected for having published two standard texts for the architectural profession. He settled in Burnaby in the first decade of the twentieth century and obtained a number of commissions from prominent businessmen who were building grand homes in the new community of Deer Lake. He designed mostly in the British Arts and Crafts style and introduced the use of rough-cast stucco for building exteriors, a characteristic for which he was renowned, and of which ‘Avalon’ is an excellent example.
Defining Elements
Key elements that define the heritage character of 'Avalon' include its:
- estate in its entirety: house, grounds, landscape features and garage outbuilding
- complex asymmetrical massing
- side gable roof punctuated with massive cross gables at the front and rear and open gable ends
- exterior features of the house such as the rough-cast stucco with mock-Tudor timbering; cobble-stone facings; square tower with mock battlements
- multiple-assemblies of wooden-sash casement windows
- tall, prominent corbelled brick chimneys
- grand interior spaces and fittings: particularly the entrance hall with its carved stone fireplace; the main staircase; panelled wainscotting; Tudor-arched windows; and fireplaces with original tile surrounds
P.I.D. No. 002-764-431
Legal Description: Lot 6 Except: Firstly: Part on Reference Plan 14874 and Secondly: Part subdivided by Plan 77594, District Lot 85, Group 1, New Westminster District, Plan 11109
Boundaries
'Avalon' is comprised of a single municipally-owned property located at 6664 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby.
Area
18,792.29
Contributing Resource
Building
Landscape Feature
Ownership
Public (local)
Other Collection
Burnaby Village Museum, Collection: Hart Photograph Albums
Documentation
Heritage Site Files: PC77000 20. City of Burnaby Planning and Building Department, 4949 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C., V5G 1M2
The Oakalla Prison Farm opened in 1912 and was hailed as the most modern facility of its kind. Initially designed to hold 150 men and 50 women, by the 1950s, the population was well over 1000. A working farm, the prison had its own dairy, vegetable gardens and livestock. From the beginning, the location of Oakalla on 185 acres of scenic land next to Burnaby's Deer Lake was the source of contention with residents petitioning the government to relocate the prison and by 1979 it was decided to close the farm and 64 acres of land were transferred to Burnaby for inclusion on the Deer Lake Park. In 1991, Oakalla closed forever and the buildings were demolished to make way for a new residential housing development and an expansion of the park.
Survey plan of "Edmonds Street School Site" "Burnaby Municipality" "Being Lots 28 and 29 of the Subdivision of Lot 30, Group 1, New Westminster District";
Survey plan of "Edmonds Street School Site" "Burnaby Municipality" "Being Lots 28 and 29 of the Subdivision of Lot 30, Group 1, New Westminster District";
Oath in bottom left corner reads: "I, D.J. McGugan...and did personally superintend the survey..." "...completed on the 8th day of March 1915"; signed "D.J. McGugan", notarized by "S.F. Mark" "sworn...12th Day of April 1915"
Survey plan of "Howard Avenue School Site" "Burnaby Municipality", "Being Lots 1-5 and 14-18 Inc. Block 5 of the Subd. of Easterly 3/4 of Lot 127. Group 1, New Westminster District";
Survey plan of "Howard Avenue School Site" "Burnaby Municipality", "Being Lots 1-5 and 14-18 Inc. Block 5 of the Subd. of Easterly 3/4 of Lot 127. Group 1, New Westminster District";
Oath in bottom left corner reads: "I, D.J. McGugan...and did personally superintend the survey..." "...completed on the 24th day of March 1915"; signed "D.J. McGugan", notarized on April 12th, 1915 by "R. Chapman"
1 survey plan : blueprint on paper with pencil notations ; 56 x 54 cm
Scope and Content
Survey plan of "Kingsway West School Site" "Burnaby Municipality" "being Lot 1, D.L.32, Lot 1 of Lot 21, Portion of Lot 21 and Portion of Lot 20, of subdivision of D.L.152, 153 & Portion of Lot 151, Group 1, New Westminster District". Notations in pencil extend along the south boundary line of Dist…
1 survey plan : blueprint on paper with pencil notations ; 56 x 54 cm
Material Details
Scale: 40 feet = 1 inch
Scope and Content
Survey plan of "Kingsway West School Site" "Burnaby Municipality" "being Lot 1, D.L.32, Lot 1 of Lot 21, Portion of Lot 21 and Portion of Lot 20, of subdivision of D.L.152, 153 & Portion of Lot 151, Group 1, New Westminster District". Notations in pencil extend along the south boundary line of District Lot 32.
Oath in bottom left corner reads: "I, D.J. McGugan...did personally superintend the survey ..." "...completed on the 16th day of March 1915", signed "D.J. McGugan" and is notarized on March 19th, 1915 by "S.F. Frank" with a seal
handwritten on back, "1753";
See also BV003.83.9 - duplicate blueprint plan without annotations
See also BV003.83.3 for original plan on waxed linen
1 map : lithographic print, ms. annotations and hand col. on linen ; 83.5 x 57.5 cm
Scope and Content
Map of "BURNABY / MUNICIPALITY". "COMPILED & PUBLISHED / BY / DOMINION BLUEPRINT & MAP CO. / 576 SEYMOUR STREET / PHONE SEY. 4670 / VANCOUVER, B.C."
The map also includes a handwritten title in ink above which reads: "Townplanning Maps in T.135."
District lots, subdivisions, wards, blocks, schools…
1 map : lithographic print, ms. annotations and hand col. on linen ; 83.5 x 57.5 cm
Material Details
Scale [1:1666]
Scope and Content
Map of "BURNABY / MUNICIPALITY". "COMPILED & PUBLISHED / BY / DOMINION BLUEPRINT & MAP CO. / 576 SEYMOUR STREET / PHONE SEY. 4670 / VANCOUVER, B.C."
The map also includes a handwritten title in ink above which reads: "Townplanning Maps in T.135."
District lots, subdivisions, wards, blocks, schools, names, roads, railways are identified in black ink along with water ways and municipal borders.
Additions have been added on top of original map print which include: red dashed lines in ink; green, blue, red lines in pencil crayon; purple, brown and red watercolour on some lots along with a bridge across the Fraser R. in red ink; pencilled Standard, Shell and Union Oil properties; pencilled numbers, arrows, natural features, notes; one line is "Gas 1930", "April 1924" next to a lot notation.
Publisher
Compiled and Published by Dominion Blueprint & Map Co.
Survey plan of "Riverway School Site / Burnaby Municipality" "Being a 1 acre portion of Lot 159 Group 1, and Lots 30 & 31 of subd. of Bks. 1, 1a, 2, 3, 4 & 5 of Lot 159, Group 1, New Westminster District".
Survey plan of "Riverway School Site / Burnaby Municipality" "Being a 1 acre portion of Lot 159 Group 1, and Lots 30 & 31 of subd. of Bks. 1, 1a, 2, 3, 4 & 5 of Lot 159, Group 1, New Westminster District".
Note in black ink on verso of plan reads: "1744" / "Riverway School"
Oath on plan reads: "I, Geoffrey K. Burnett...and did personally superintend the survey..." "...completed on the 16th day of April 1915"; signed by Geoffrey K. Burnett and notarized by "K.A. Eastman", sworn "...19th day of April 1915"
Survey plan of "Second Street School Site" "Burnaby Municipality" "Being Lots 1 & 2 , Block 20 of the Subd of / Lot 27. Group 1 / New Westminster District".
Survey plan of "Second Street School Site" "Burnaby Municipality" "Being Lots 1 & 2 , Block 20 of the Subd of / Lot 27. Group 1 / New Westminster District".
Oath in bottom left corner reads: "I, D.J. McGugan...and did personally superintend the survey..." "...completed on the 8th day of March 1915"; signed "D.J. McGugan / BCLS / sworn...29 day / of May 1915"
Arthur Long, of the Water Rights Office of Victoria, purchased this land from neighbour Henry Ramsay, and built this beautiful Arts and Crafts styled home. The house appears to have many similarities to the neighbouring Ramsay House, which was designed by Vancouver architect R. Mackay Fripp. The house has retained its original complex gabled roof, triangular eave brackets and horizontal siding.
For years, the idea of creating a park on Burnaby Mountain was favoured by people in Burnaby. In 1930, the Municipal Engineer submitted a report recommending that the city acquire land in the area with a view towards formally dedicating the space for public use. In 1942, Commissioner Richard Bolton enacted Bylaw 1772 which officially dedicated the mountain as public park.
In 1921, the pamphlet "Beautiful Burnaby" was produced and it described the Burquitlam neighbourhood as such: "No part of Burnaby has more consistently laboured to advance its prosperity than Burquitlam. Enterprise and intelligence has hewn homes from the forest and developed land into highly productive gardens and poultry ranches. Burquitlam is the growing suburb to the north of the City of New Westminster. It is reached by the Sapperton carline direct from Edmonds being only a few minutes ride from New Westminster market. It is also served by the B.C.E.R. Burnaby Lake line and adjoins on the best golf links in Greater Vancouver."
The Central Park Entrance Gate is the ceremonial entrance to Burnaby’s historic Central Park from Kingsway, and consists of two massive stone pillars, approximately 7.5 metres high and 1.8 metres square, adjacent gate posts and a low flanking stone wall that curves into the park to the east.
The Central Park Entrance Gate is the ceremonial entrance to Burnaby’s historic Central Park from Kingsway, and consists of two massive stone pillars, approximately 7.5 metres high and 1.8 metres square, adjacent gate posts and a low flanking stone wall that curves into the park to the east.
Heritage Value
The Central Park Entrance Gate is significant as a ceremonial entry to a major park, for its connection with the early history of the British Columbia Electric Railway (BCER) and as an important design by an accomplished British Columbian architect.
When the original interurban line between Vancouver and New Westminster was constructed in 1891, one of the first stations was located where the tramway crossed the Vancouver-Westminster Road (now Kingsway) within the newly-created Central Park. The interurban line ran through the park on a diagonal right-of-way (the current SkyTrain line, opened in 1986, follows this original alignment). In 1912 an agreement was reached between the successor interurban company, the BCER, and the Central Park Provincial Park Board, to deed additional land for an expanded right-of-way through the Park in exchange for improvements that included the construction of an ornamental stone wall and gate with an iron arch, with an illuminated 'Central Park' sign, adjacent to the interurban station on Kingsway. This was an early and rare example of an electric sign used for a public recreation facility.
The Gate is also significant as a surviving early design by Robert Lyon (1879-1963), an Edinburgh-born and trained immigrant who was one of the most accomplished of British Columbia's early architects. After he moved to Vancouver, he was employed by the BCER from 1911 until 1918, and worked on a broad range of projects including some of the grandest and most innovative local industrial structures of the time. The arch was built by the Westminster Ironworks Company, one of the leading firms of its kind in Western Canada, operated by John Reid of New Westminster. The Gate was completed in 1914; in 1968 the decorative ironwork was removed due to corrosion and placed in storage.
Defining Elements
Key elements that define the heritage character of the Central Park Entrance Gate include its:
- two subtly tapered massive stone pillars, which rise in stages from a larger base to a shaft with random coursed multi-coloured granite with roughly formed grey granite quoins, to a top formed of finely finished grey granite blocks with a coved and bracketed cap
- adjacent gate posts with monolithic pyramidal granite caps
- low flanking stone wall that curves into the park to the east, constructed of random coursed multi-coloured granite with a river rock triangular cap
P.I.D. No. 017-767-172
Legal Description: Block B of Lot 2 Except Firstly: Part on Plan 8669 and Secondly: Part on Plan LMP4689 District Lot 151, Group 1, New Westminster District, Plan 3443
Boundaries
The property (Central Park) is a municipally-owned park that lies at the western edge of Burnaby, between 49th Avenue to the south, Kingsway to the north, Boundary Road to the west and Patterson Avenue to the east.
The H.D. Morrison House is a tall, two and one-half storey plus basement wood-frame Edwardian era residence, with an eclectic combination of Arts and Crafts stylistic elements. It is now located adjacent to a large multi-family residential building in the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood of North Bu…
The H.D. Morrison House is a tall, two and one-half storey plus basement wood-frame Edwardian era residence, with an eclectic combination of Arts and Crafts stylistic elements. It is now located adjacent to a large multi-family residential building in the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood of North Burnaby.
Heritage Value
The H.D. Morrison House is valued for its association with the initial speculative development phase of the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood, initiated during the Edwardian era as a high-class residential subdivision. Building contractor Harrison D. Morrison built this house as a rental property in 1912, at the height of the land speculation boom prior to the First World War. Buyers in the neighbourhood were obligated by the developer, G.F. and J. Galt Limited, to build houses worth a minimum of $3,500 at a time when the average house price was $1,000.
Additionally, the H.D. Morrison House is a typical example of builders' houses of the time period, distinguished by the unique stacked balconies on the front facade. It was one of the surviving landmark residences built between 1909 and 1914 during the first development boom in Vancouver Heights.
Defining Elements
Key elements that define the heritage character of the H.D. Morrison House include its:
- location on a south-facing slope in the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood of North Burnaby
- residential form, scale and massing as exemplified by its symmetrical two and one-half storey plus basement height, front gabled roof and rectangular plan
- vernacular Arts and Crafts style elements such as the exposed roof beams and rafter tails, decorative scalloped shingles in the front gable and decorative brackets
- main floor full open front verandah on the front facade with two stacked balconies above, all detailed with square columns, scroll-cut brackets and overhanging roof eaves
- bowed balustrade on main floor verandah
- boxed eaves with scroll-cut brackets
- recessed top floor gable treatment
- cladding, including lapped wooden siding at the main floor and cedar shingles on the second floor and in the gable ends, with decorative diamond-cut shingles in the front gable end
- front entry door with incised design, dentil detail and rectangular glass inset, with glassed sidelights
- irregular fenestration: double-hung 1-over-1 wooden-sash windows; and three part casement window on main floor front facade, with diamond-shaped leaded lights in double transom above
- corbelled red brick internal chimney
The 'Fairacres Estate Gate' marks the location of one of the original driveway entrances to the estate.
Heritage Value
Fairacres was designed as a country estate with a working farm that included over 10 acres of productive berry and vegetable fields, with a large kitchen garden, a root house to store food, and greenhouses heated by steam. The agricultural potential ofthe Deer Lake area made it one of the first parts of the municipality to attract settlement.
Construction of the Fairacres Estate represented a shift toward wealthy country estates over more modest farms, and the Ceperleys employed a large staff to manage the estate's agricultural production. Agricultural use of the estate continued when a Catholic order of Benedictine monks purchased the estate as part of the Priory of St. Joseph and the Seminary of Christ the King, and continued to farm the land until 1953.
The overall architectural intention of the estate's architect was to reflect the ideals of the Arts & Crafts movement to showcase craftsmanship, and to incorporate high quality materials, including many local materials, such as wood and stone from the site. On the mansion exterior, the rustic style is seen in the use of natural materials such as cedar shingles and siding, cobblestone foundations and chimneys and the half-timbering in gable ends. The estate's remaining gate pillar features the same rustic field and cobblestones used on the mansion.
The original estate driveway had two entrances constructed in 1910, each marked by a pair of entry gate pillars which supported iron gates. The main entrance gate pillars which marked the lower driveway and the east pillar of the upper entrance were demolished many years ago and the iron gates removed. A single gate pillar remains marking the upper driveway, adjacent to the Garage and Stables. This gate pillar is a significant site feature and incorporates cobble stone and a carved sandstone capstone.
Defining Elements
Key elements that define the heritage character of the ‘Fairacres Estate Gate' include:
- setting in relation to the estate boundary and estate buildings
- Cobble stone and sandstone construction, which represents a typical Arts and Crafts use of local materials, and matches the extensive use of cobblestone as chimneys and foundations on the Fairacres mansion, as well as the use of sandstone on the mansion's exterior.
This Craftsman bungalow was built for the Neville family. Richard Neville (1884-1950) served as a Burnaby councillor in 1924 and is remembered as the man who gave the CCF party (now the NDP) land on Maple Avenue on which to build Jubilee Labour Hall. He worked as a tile layer for the O’Neill Company and was married to Ada Neville (née Cook, 1885-1970). Ada Neville still lived in this house at the time of her death. Typical of the Craftsman style, the house has a side gabled roof with large front gable dormer, triangular eave brackets, an open arched front verandah and a textural mix of siding including cedar shingle on the main floor and lapped siding at the foundation.