The Capitol Hill Community Hall was designed by local architect Harold Cullerne (1890-1976). After Cullerne returned from service during the First World War, he joined J.H. Bowman in a partnership that lasted from 1919 to 1934. After Bowman retired in 1934, Cullerne practiced on his own, continuing to work on schools and institutional buildings, such as the Art Deco Hollywood Theatre in Vancouver. In 1944, Cullerne designed a community hall for Capitol Hill; the scheme was delayed, and redesigned before it was finally built after the end of the Second World War. A simple front gabled roof hall structure, this hall is a monument to community spirit, erected by community members on a volunteer basis, and used for community events for over half a century. The hall replaced two earlier structures, both destroyed by fire, that had served the same purpose.
Photograph of the eight members of Burnaby's Municipal Council standing in an office, each holding a piece of paper. Written across the bottom of the photograph is the caption: "Burnaby Council 1946 Reeve Morrison". Reeve George Morrison can be seen to the far right. Third from the right is Willi…
Photograph of the eight members of Burnaby's Municipal Council standing in an office, each holding a piece of paper. Written across the bottom of the photograph is the caption: "Burnaby Council 1946 Reeve Morrison". Reeve George Morrison can be seen to the far right. Third from the right is William Beamish, fifth from the right is Charles MacSorley and at the far left is Joseph Gartlan. The rest are unidentified although the remaining members of the 1946 Council were James West, William Philps, John Jones and Harry Ball.
Photograph of Charles Sprott as an elderly man. He is wearing a suit, with a vest and tie, glasses, and hat. He was Reeve of Burnaby from 1904 to 1905. He was also a member of Council from 1895 to 1904 and in 1907.
Photograph of Charles Sprott as an elderly man. He is wearing a suit, with a vest and tie, glasses, and hat. He was Reeve of Burnaby from 1904 to 1905. He was also a member of Council from 1895 to 1904 and in 1907.
Photograph of two young women standing at the bottom of the steps at the Burnaby Municipal Hall. The women are are holding hands. A note on the back of the photograph identifies Lois Shaw (nee Gilbert) on the left with a co-worker, both of whom were employed by the municipality of Burnaby.
Photograph of two young women standing at the bottom of the steps at the Burnaby Municipal Hall. The women are are holding hands. A note on the back of the photograph identifies Lois Shaw (nee Gilbert) on the left with a co-worker, both of whom were employed by the municipality of Burnaby.
Photograph of the exterior of Municipal Hall at Kingsway and Edmonds Street. A sign above the door reads, "Municipal Hall / Burnaby." The First World War memorial fountain, dedicated to Municipal employees who died in the War, can be seen on the left. In 1974, this memorial was relocated from i…
Photograph of the exterior of Municipal Hall at Kingsway and Edmonds Street. A sign above the door reads, "Municipal Hall / Burnaby." The First World War memorial fountain, dedicated to Municipal employees who died in the War, can be seen on the left. In 1974, this memorial was relocated from its original setting to the site of the Burnaby Village Museum on Deer Lake Avenue.
Photograph of eight men identified as Burnaby's Municipal Council sitting and standing on a stone staircase outside an unidentified building in Victoria. Written across the bottom of the photograph is: "Convention in Victoria 1949 Burnaby Council." Identified in the picture are Reeve George Morri…
Photograph of eight men identified as Burnaby's Municipal Council sitting and standing on a stone staircase outside an unidentified building in Victoria. Written across the bottom of the photograph is: "Convention in Victoria 1949 Burnaby Council." Identified in the picture are Reeve George Morrison (third from the left), Charles MacSorley (fifth from the left, seated in back), Doug Drummond (seated in front of Charles MacSorley) and William Beamish (second from right).
Photograph of a Ford triple combination fire truck stationed outside the former Fire hall no. 1 on Carleton Avenue near Eton Street. Firefighters Albert Killer, Gordon Monk and Wendell Walyer (not in uniform) are standing at the truck, looking towards the camera.
Photograph of a Ford triple combination fire truck stationed outside the former Fire hall no. 1 on Carleton Avenue near Eton Street. Firefighters Albert Killer, Gordon Monk and Wendell Walyer (not in uniform) are standing at the truck, looking towards the camera.
Typed sticker on verso of photograph reads: "Truck bay in former pump house. 290 N. Carleton/ 1942 FORD Triple combina-tion. (L) A. Killer/ G. Monk W. Walyer"
Address sticker on verso of photograph reads: "MR & MRS F BLAKE 4165 PANDORA ST BURNABY BC V5C 2B2"
Photograph of Firefighters Harry Anderson, Leo Fraser, Fred Blake and Henry Chapman lying down on their beds in the dormitory at No. 1 Burnaby Fire Hall at Carleton Avenue and Eton Street. This photograph was taken by Fred Blake using a box camera with a five minute exposure (so that he was able to…
Photograph of Firefighters Harry Anderson, Leo Fraser, Fred Blake and Henry Chapman lying down on their beds in the dormitory at No. 1 Burnaby Fire Hall at Carleton Avenue and Eton Street. This photograph was taken by Fred Blake using a box camera with a five minute exposure (so that he was able to run and put himself into the shot before the shutter closed).
Quote from letter of Aug. 15, 2002 from Fred Blake (letter in accession file): "With reference to the enclosed picture where I am stretched out on the bed. All my early pictures were taken with a box camera that I still have. With the slow film and poor room lighting I knew it would have to be a five minute time exposure. There was no automatic timer on the box camera. You had to press the shutter button to open the lens and again to close it. With this length of exposure I knew that if I moved quickly I could be in the picture. I had the others propped up and opened the lens and ran across and took my place on the bed. When I fell back I realized that I had forgotten a back rest for myself. I stayed that way for five minutes as I didn't want to take a chance of spoiling the picture. When the time was up I ran across the room and closed the lens. I was pleased that the picture tuned out alright, but a little disappointed about me."
Handwritten note on verso of photograph reads: "I had to hang on to FRASER so that I wouldn't fall off the bed. / 658X / 1940 No.1 HALL 290 N. CARLETON / HARRY ANDERSON LEO FRASER FRED BLAKE HENRY CHAPMAN / L TO R"
Photograph of Burnaby Fire Hall No. 1 at Willingdon and Hastings, the first purpose built fire hall in Burnaby. The hall is a two storey modern concrete building with three large bays. Fire trucks are parked in front of the hall, along with two cars.
Photograph of Burnaby Fire Hall No. 1 at Willingdon and Hastings, the first purpose built fire hall in Burnaby. The hall is a two storey modern concrete building with three large bays. Fire trucks are parked in front of the hall, along with two cars.
This portion of the interview is about Al Nixon describing the importance of good record keeping, using an example of an 1936 fire record used in a civic law suit. He expressed concerned about the lack of museum and archives facilities in Burnaby.
This portion of the interview is about Al Nixon describing the importance of good record keeping, using an example of an 1936 fire record used in a civic law suit. He expressed concerned about the lack of museum and archives facilities in Burnaby.
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”.
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.
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.
Photograph of the construction of the Capitol Hill Community Hall. Workmen are relaxing, standing high on a ledge just below the unfinished roof, as community members stand below them, smiling.
Photograph of the construction of the Capitol Hill Community Hall. Workmen are relaxing, standing high on a ledge just below the unfinished roof, as community members stand below them, smiling.
Photograph of the construction of the Capitol Hill Community Hall. The construction workers are all bent over, busily working on the roof and its supports.
Photograph of the construction of the Capitol Hill Community Hall. The construction workers are all bent over, busily working on the roof and its supports.
Photograph of the construction of the Capitol Hill Community Hall. The construction workers are all taking a break to look at the camera from their positions on the roof, the roof's ledge and the ground. A dog is also at the construction site.
Photograph of the construction of the Capitol Hill Community Hall. The construction workers are all taking a break to look at the camera from their positions on the roof, the roof's ledge and the ground. A dog is also at the construction site.
Photograph of the interior of Lochdale Hall. Streamers are hanging from the ceiling and the walls, and numerous people are seated at three long tables. The occasion is unidentified.
Photograph of the interior of Lochdale Hall. Streamers are hanging from the ceiling and the walls, and numerous people are seated at three long tables. The occasion is unidentified.