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.
Aerial photographic postcard of "the Fair Haven," a group of United Church homes for Senior Citizens. The road in the foreground is Rumble Street, and the long road to the right is Sussex Avenue. The small forest behind "the Fair Haven" is the David Gary Park.
Aerial photographic postcard of "the Fair Haven," a group of United Church homes for Senior Citizens. The road in the foreground is Rumble Street, and the long road to the right is Sussex Avenue. The small forest behind "the Fair Haven" is the David Gary Park.
Typewritten note on verso of postcard reads: "AERIAL VIEW/ 'The Fairhaven', Burnaby BC / United Church Homes for Senior Citizens / 4341 Rumble St., Burnaby, BC"
Handwritten note on verso of postcard reads: ""The road in the foreground is Rumble Street. The long road to the right is Sussex Avenue. The road, going up, on the left, barely visible is McKay Avenue = lower corner. Behind Fair Haven is the future David Gary Park cleared in the late 1950's - then more trees were felled in October 1962 with Hurricane Freda (blown over, uprooted trees) that left the park as it is today in 1993. The top row of little (5) white cottages were moved from the N.W. corner of Willingdon and Kingsway where Old Orchard Mall is now - they were part of Old Orchard Auto Villas, the first Fair Havens. Note: All cottages on right side of Lodge have been moved to Vancouver Island in 1991 for Motel units - by barge."
Printed on verso of postcard: "Traveltime product, made in Vancouver, Canada, by Grant-Mann Lithographers Ltd."
This portion of the interview is about Sev Morin’s description of Burnaby’s growth and business development along Kingsway and Hastings, the Lake City Industrial Park, and the purchase of property in 1958 for the Heritage Park and Art Gallery.
This portion of the interview is about Sev Morin’s description of Burnaby’s growth and business development along Kingsway and Hastings, the Lake City Industrial Park, and the purchase of property in 1958 for the Heritage Park and Art Gallery.
Date Range
1950-1990
Photo Info
Sev Morin (left) of Severin's in Burnaby (formerly the Gai Paree) hosting a gala New Year's celebration, 1979. Item no. 480-712
Recording is of an interview with Severin "Sev" Morin, conducted by Rod Fowler. Sev Morin 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 Sev Morin’s banquet hall, restaurant and night club business on Kingsway, originally named the “Gai Paree Supper Club” (1947-1976) and later “Severin’s” (1976-1985) and “Diego’s” (1985-1994), its function as a Burnaby landmark, and the entertainment and political people he met through his business. He also describes his many volunteer activities in Burnaby, including member of the SFU Senate, Rotary Club, Variety Club and Telethon, fund raising for Burnaby Hospital, and tourism related groups, and his political work for the federal Liberal party. He talks about his parents’ origins, the lives of his brothers Rudy and Rene, and the family’s involvement in establishing the “Gai Paree”. He also shares his views about the business and cultural development of Burnaby. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
Biographical Notes
Severin “Sev” Rene Morin was born September 21, 1927, in Bonneville, Alberta, to Rene Pierre Morin (1878-1963) and Anne Marie (nee Lachiver) Morin (1886-1956). Mr. and Mrs. R. P. Morin and their son Rene Francois (1905-1954) immigrated to Edmonton, Alberta, from France in 1913, where Rene Pierre Morin worked for the C.N.R. and a second son Adolphe “Rudy” Ferdinand (1922-1969) was born, followed by their third son Severin. In 1943, after R.P. Morin retired, the family moved to Burnaby to a house on Sperling Avenue. Sometime earlier the two older Morin brothers found work in Trail at the smelter and developed musical careers. In 1946/47 the Morin family purchased property on Kingsway and built a banquet hall, the “Gai Paree Supper Club”. Sev and Rudy Morin managed the club and Rene F. Morin moved to Burnaby to join them with his band. The supper club, with its live music and dance floor, became a popular meeting place and wedding venue, eventually expanding into a restaurant and nightclub in the 1970s. The “Gai Paree” was renamed “Severin’s” in 1976 and “Diego’s” in 1985, closing finally in 1994. Sev Morin’s business life included three record stores which he owned with his friend Jack Cullen. Through these businesses Sev Morin was well known in the entertainment and hospitality industry. He and his restaurant also hosted political and social events that made the restaurant a community landmark. Sev Morin contributed many volunteer hours to community and charitable organizations, including an appointment to the SFU Senate, fundraising for the Burnaby Hospital, Director of the Variety Club and Rotary Club, and consultant for a variety of tourism related ventures. He also was active in the federal Liberal Party. Sev Morin and his wife Pauline married in 1950 and had three children. Sev Morin died at age 86 on March 28, 2014.
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 aerial view of the Lenkurt Electric Company at 6960 Lougheed Highway (later renumbered 7018 Lougheed Highway). A sign on the top of the building reads, "Lenkurt." An information sheet from the Company Relation Division of Lenkurt attached to the back of the photograph reads, "Aerial…
Photograph of aerial view of the Lenkurt Electric Company at 6960 Lougheed Highway (later renumbered 7018 Lougheed Highway). A sign on the top of the building reads, "Lenkurt." An information sheet from the Company Relation Division of Lenkurt attached to the back of the photograph reads, "Aerial view of a 34,000 square foot building including a 19,000 square foot extension to the existing 15,000 square foot plant of Lenkurt Electric Co. of Canada Ltd. in North Burnaby, B.C., as at May 10th, 1957. / The building is situated on 20 acres of land and faces north onto Lougheed Highway."
Stamp and annotation on back of photograph reads, "Your Negative Number: 86/[7 or 4]0 / Re-orders any size always obtainable at Campbell Studio / 581 Granville Street, Vancouver, B.C."
Aerial photograph of the Trans Mountain Pipe Line Westridge loading dock on Burrard Inlet. Houses are visible in the background, and railroad tracks along the edge of the inlet.
Aerial photograph of the Trans Mountain Pipe Line Westridge loading dock on Burrard Inlet. Houses are visible in the background, and railroad tracks along the edge of the inlet.
1 photograph : b&w ; 3.3 x 5.3 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.3 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of an original photographic postcard of the Benedictines of Westminster Priory at Ceperley House which was funded by the Catholic Diocese beginning in 1939. There is a postmark from Merritt, British Columbia, at the top right corner.
1 photograph : b&w ; 3.3 x 5.3 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.3 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
370-754
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No restrictions
Accession Number
BHS1999-03
Scope and Content
Photograph of an original photographic postcard of the Benedictines of Westminster Priory at Ceperley House which was funded by the Catholic Diocese beginning in 1939. There is a postmark from Merritt, British Columbia, at the top right corner.
Caption on recto of postcard reads: "ASTOR HOTEL . 4561 KINGSWAY, BURNABY 1, B.C."
Caption on verso of postcard reads: "THE HAIDA GRILL/ The delightful setting and excellent cuisine makes the Haida Grill a must for dining pleasure. A Photograph [sic] showing the Haida Grill with its table side service."
9 paintings : colour print, 2 photographs : b&w, and 1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of application for a driver's license, Kingsway Driving School report card, driver's examination receipt and a letter addressed to Hazel Simnett from the Victorian Order of Nurses for Canada. Also included is an immigration inspection card of Fred Simnett aboard the S.S. Lake Champlai…
9 paintings : colour print, 2 photographs : b&w, and 1 folder of textual records
Description Level
File
Record No.
MSS167-008
Accession Number
2013-22
Scope and Content
File consists of application for a driver's license, Kingsway Driving School report card, driver's examination receipt and a letter addressed to Hazel Simnett from the Victorian Order of Nurses for Canada. Also included is an immigration inspection card of Fred Simnett aboard the S.S. Lake Champlain from Liverpool and a letter from the Office of the Mayor addressed to Mary Ann Simnett for her ninetieth birthday. Also included is a photograph (see item 559-001). Also included are newsclippings regarding Robert Burnaby and the "Bygones of Burnaby" book, a programme of the Robert Burnaby Commemorative Dinner, a photocopy of "The Argus" (Burnaby South High School's newspaper) from 1938, a programme from Madys Pridmore Brown's Variety Programme, "The Buzzer" Volume 40 Issue 16 advertising Vancouver street cars, New Vista Society certificate addressed to Hazel Simnett, an envelope of Fenwick Lansdowne bird prints from 1957 and a print of the Royal Family found in a cardboard envelope postmarked 1972.
Photograph of top of the hill moved by William Kask, Sr. at the request of Jenny Korhonen Kask who wanted a better view of Burrard Inlet and the islands from her house in Kask's Camp, later Kask Bros. Cement Works. Mr. Kask had the top of the mountain shave off with a bulldozer. A Vancouver Sun h…
Photograph of top of the hill moved by William Kask, Sr. at the request of Jenny Korhonen Kask who wanted a better view of Burrard Inlet and the islands from her house in Kask's Camp, later Kask Bros. Cement Works. Mr. Kask had the top of the mountain shave off with a bulldozer. A Vancouver Sun headline read, "Man Moves Mountain."
Photographic postcard of the Blue Haven Motel, 7026 Kingsway. The description printed on the back of the postcard reads, "Blue Haven Motel / 7026 Kingsway, South Burnaby, B.C., Canada / Mrgs.: Mr. and Mrs. A. Pearson / 22 Units - 4 Stars - AAA - ACRA / T.V. Equipped / Telephone LA 1-9942." The bui…
Photographic postcard of the Blue Haven Motel, 7026 Kingsway. The description printed on the back of the postcard reads, "Blue Haven Motel / 7026 Kingsway, South Burnaby, B.C., Canada / Mrgs.: Mr. and Mrs. A. Pearson / 22 Units - 4 Stars - AAA - ACRA / T.V. Equipped / Telephone LA 1-9942." The building on the left side of the photograph has "Office" written on the door. Cars and motel units are seen at the right.
Photographic postcard advertising the Hotel Burnaby at 1385 Kingsway (old street numbering). A caption on the reverse of the postcard reads: Hotel Burnaby / :Located between new Simpsons-Sears and new Woodwards shopping centres / You will remember Hotel Burnaby for the REST of your life."
Photographic postcard advertising the Hotel Burnaby at 1385 Kingsway (old street numbering). A caption on the reverse of the postcard reads: Hotel Burnaby / :Located between new Simpsons-Sears and new Woodwards shopping centres / You will remember Hotel Burnaby for the REST of your life."