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
Less detail
School room at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.6 x 4.4 cm print on contact sheet 20.6 x 26.8 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the interior of a school room at Oakalla Prison Farm. Men are seated at desks, and a student and teacher are at the blackboard standing beside a map. A list of words is on the blackboard.
Barns at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.8 x 4.1 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of horse and cattle barns at Oakalla Prison Farm.
Calf Barn at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.0 x 4.3 cm print on contact sheet 19.8 x 26.2 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the calf barn at Oakalla Prison Farm.
Fire Hall at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 4.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.7 x 26.7 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the fire hall at Oakalla Prison Farm.
Greenhouse at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.0 x 4.3 cm print on contact sheet 19.8 x 26.2 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of a greenhouse at Oakalla Prison Farm.
Gymnasium at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1950] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 4.1 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the gym at Oakalla Prison Farm.
Hospital at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 4.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.7 x 26.7 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the hospital at Oakalla Prison Farm.
Hospital at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.8 x 4.1 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the hospital at Oakalla Prison Farm.
Oakalla Garage and Greenhouse
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 4.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.7 x 26.7 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the warden's garage and a greenhouse at Oakalla Prison Farm.
Oakalla Prison Farm
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1985
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.8 x 12.6 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the rear of the powerhouse at Oakalla Prison Farm.
Piggery Brooder at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.1 x 4.6 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the piggery brooder building at Oakalla Prison Farm.
Piggery Building at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.2 x 4.5 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the piggery building at Oakalla Prison Farm.
Piggery Runs at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.1 x 4.6 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the piggery runs at Oakalla Prison Farm.
Boat-building/carpentry shop at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.2 x 5.1 cm print on contact sheet 19.8 x 26.2 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the interior of the boat-building/carpentry shop at Oakalla Prison Farm. A man is standing inside a partially completed boat, while two other men look on.
Carpenter Shop at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 4.1 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the carpenter shop at Oakalla Prison Farm.
Gas Pumps at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 4.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.7 x 26.7 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of gas pumps and the old gaol at Oakalla Prison Farm.
Isolation Unit at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.4 x 4.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.6 x 26.8 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the cells in the main isolation unit at Oakalla Prison Farm. The isolation centre was known as " the Hole."
Isolation Unit at Oakalla
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.5 x 4.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.6 x 26.8 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the cells in the main isolation unit at Oakalla Prison Farm with the doors open. The isolation centre was known as " the Hole." A man is standing at the back left of the photo.
Oakalla building
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.8 x 4.1 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of a building at Oakalla Prison Farm, possibly the main jail.