This portion of the interview is about Ron Burton’s memories about his childhood, education and career. He talks about the sports he enjoyed growing up, getting his first mountain bike in 1980, and first experiences riding on Burnaby Mountain. He also talks about his work as a Burnaby school truste…
This portion of the interview is about Ron Burton’s memories about his childhood, education and career. He talks about the sports he enjoyed growing up, getting his first mountain bike in 1980, and first experiences riding on Burnaby Mountain. He also talks about his work as a Burnaby school trustee.
Recording is of an interview with Ron Burton conducted by Kathy Bossort. Ron Burton was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about the founding, goals, and activities of the Burnaby Mountain Biking Association as told by one of the founders and President of the club, Ron Burton, and about the development of mountain biking and trail construction on Burnaby Mountain, both prior to and after the creation of the conservation area in 1995/96. Ron Burton also talks about his childhood, his work as a Burnaby school trustee, and the sports and recreational activities he has enjoyed on the mountain.
Biographical Notes
Ron Burton was born in Burnaby in 1954 to Fred and Shirley Burton. He grew up in East Vancouver and attended Hastings Elementary and Gladstone Secondary schools. He worked on the waterfront for Viterra, became a member of the Grain Workers Union and joined the NDP in 1972. He and his wife moved to Burnaby’s Vancouver Heights in 1982 and Forest Grove in 1988. He has served as a Board of Education Trustee in the Burnaby School District since first being elected in 1987, currently serving as Board Chair. Ron is founder and President of the Burnaby Mountain Biking Association and an active rider on Burnaby Mountain since 1988. The Association was founded in 2000, registering as a society in 2005, with the goals to build sustainable trails on Burnaby Mountain, to provide education about trail riding, and to advocate for and improve the image of mountain biking. Under Ron’s leadership the Association has successfully recruited members and formed a cooperative relationship with Burnaby’s Parks staff and with other park trail users.
Meeting room at the Burnaby School District office
Interviewer Bio
Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.
File contains photographs of Shirley Fisher, who formerly ran the boat rental concession at the Deer Lake Park beach, preparing to cycle across Canada. Photographs depict Fisher posing with her bicycle on the beach at Deer Lake and looking at a photograph album in the canoe rental shed at Deer Lake.
File contains photographs of Shirley Fisher, who formerly ran the boat rental concession at the Deer Lake Park beach, preparing to cycle across Canada. Photographs depict Fisher posing with her bicycle on the beach at Deer Lake and looking at a photograph album in the canoe rental shed at Deer Lake.
Collected by editorial for use in a March 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata for 535-2109-1: "Shirley Fisher is preparing to cycle across Canada, after retiring from her job running the boat rental concession at Deer Lake."
Caption from metadata for 535-2109-2: "Shirley Fisher leafs through a photo album of memories of her years running the canoe rental shed at Deer Lake. She's retiring to pursue her dream of cycling across Canada."
File contains photographs of Luke Makaseff skateboarding and standing next to a "No Skateboarding" sign at Burnaby South Secondary School during the bus strike.
File contains photographs of Luke Makaseff skateboarding and standing next to a "No Skateboarding" sign at Burnaby South Secondary School during the bus strike.
Collected by editorial for use in a July 2001 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata for 535-2584-1: "Luke Makaseff and other young skateboarders are being forced to ride their boards wherever they can, as the ongoing bus strike prevents them from making the long trek to skateboard parks in North Burnaby and New Westminster."
Caption from metadata for 535-2584-2: "Luke Makaseff and other young skateboarders in South Burnaby are riding their boards at Burnaby South Secondary School, despite the signs, as the ongoing bus strike prevents them from getting to skateboard parks in North Burnaby and New Westminster."
Photograph of Pacific Northwest Teen Square Dance Festival taking place at Burnaby Central High School. This event was part of the Burnaby Centennial '71 festivities.
Photograph of Pacific Northwest Teen Square Dance Festival taking place at Burnaby Central High School. This event was part of the Burnaby Centennial '71 festivities.
Photograph of Pacific Northwest Teen Square Dance Festival taking place at Burnaby Central High School. This event was part of the Burnaby Centennial '71 festivities.
Photograph of Pacific Northwest Teen Square Dance Festival taking place at Burnaby Central High School. This event was part of the Burnaby Centennial '71 festivities.
Photograph of Pacific Northwest Teen Square Dance Festival taking place at Burnaby Central High School. This event was part of the Burnaby Centennial '71 festivities.
Photograph of Pacific Northwest Teen Square Dance Festival taking place at Burnaby Central High School. This event was part of the Burnaby Centennial '71 festivities.
Photograph of Pacific Northwest Teen Square Dance Festival taking place at Burnaby Central High School. This event was part of the Burnaby Centennial '71 festivities.
Photograph of Pacific Northwest Teen Square Dance Festival taking place at Burnaby Central High School. This event was part of the Burnaby Centennial '71 festivities.
Collected by editorial for use in a January 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Eventhough Sunday night's snow melted quickly on Monday morning, enough of it stuck around on Burnaby Mountain to bring out the tobogganers and tubers to the slopes at Burnaby Mountain Park."
File contains photographs of Quentin Adrian of the Burnaby Velodrome Club posing on the wooden indoor bike track at the Harry Jerome Sports Centre. The track, inflatable roof, and other sports settings are visible behind Adrian.
File contains photographs of Quentin Adrian of the Burnaby Velodrome Club posing on the wooden indoor bike track at the Harry Jerome Sports Centre. The track, inflatable roof, and other sports settings are visible behind Adrian.
Collected by editorial for use in a March 2004 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Quentin Adrian, of the Burnaby Velodrome Club, says the future is looking bright for North America's only indoor bike track after the Club received an infrastructure grant."
Collected by editorial for use in a September 2002 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Keith Bruneau, a rider with Canada's national cycling team, takes a spin around the newly re-opened velodrome at the Harry Jerome Sports Centre."
Collected by editorial for use in a November 2001 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata for 535-2942-1: "The lightweight, high-tech track bikes have only one gear, and no brakes."
Caption from metadata for 535-2942-2: "Staying in a paceline allows trailing riders to conserve energy while the lead runner bears the brunt of wind resistance."
Collected by editorial for use in a January 2004 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata for 535-1745-1: "Gina Grain heads for the fastest qualifying time in the Women's 200m, circling the track at the Burnaby Velodrome in 13.84 seconds, at the first races of the Winter track cycling season. Some of the top cyclists from BC, Alberta and the Western United States competed all weekend in timed events, sprint races and keirins."
Caption from metadata for 535-1745-2: "Jeff Ain bears down as he leads a rival out of the corner in the first round of sprints for the B Group, at the first track races of the Winter cycling season, Saturday at the Burnaby Velodrome. Top cyclists from BC, Alberta and the Western United States competed in three days of sprints, timed events and keirins, on the 200-metre wooden track at the Harry Jerome Sports Centre."
Photograph of two unidentified players in action during a Lower Mainland Ringette League Tween B ringette game between Burnaby/New Westminster and Port Coquitlam at the Copeland Arena.
Photograph of two unidentified players in action during a Lower Mainland Ringette League Tween B ringette game between Burnaby/New Westminster and Port Coquitlam at the Copeland Arena.
Collected by editorial for use in a January 2006 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "A Burnaby/New Westminster forward tries to skate around a Port Coquitlam defender in Lower Mainland Ringette League Tween B action, Saturday at the Burnaby Lake Arena. Burnaby won the game, 7-5."
Photograph of an unidentified Burnaby/New West player and Salmon Arm player Kalen Houle in action during a Junior A ringette game at the sixth annual Burnaby/New West Icebreaker Ringette Tournament at the Bill Copeland Arena.
Photograph of an unidentified Burnaby/New West player and Salmon Arm player Kalen Houle in action during a Junior A ringette game at the sixth annual Burnaby/New West Icebreaker Ringette Tournament at the Bill Copeland Arena.
Collected by editorial for use in a November 2002 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "A Burnaby/New West Pirates forward moves around Salmon Arm's Kalen Houle in a Junior A game at the Sixth Annual Burnaby/New West Icebreaker Ringette Tournament, Saturday at Copeland Arena."
File contains photographs of the Burnaby Oakeys at the Midget Girls' Canadian Fastpitch Championships at Squint Lake Park in Burnaby, playing the Brampton Blazers. Photographs depict Burnaby players Natasha McFadden and Megan Mackenzie in action with unidentified Brampton players and spectators in …
File contains photographs of the Burnaby Oakeys at the Midget Girls' Canadian Fastpitch Championships at Squint Lake Park in Burnaby, playing the Brampton Blazers. Photographs depict Burnaby players Natasha McFadden and Megan Mackenzie in action with unidentified Brampton players and spectators in the stands.
Collected by editorial for use in an August 2002 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata for 535-2619-1: "Burnaby Oakeys' Natasha McFadden knocks her Brampton Blazers' opponent from the base path, as she rounds second, at the Midget Girls' Canadian Fastpitch Championships, at Squint Lake Park in Burnaby."
Caption from metadata for 535-2619-2: "Burnaby Oakeys' Natasha McFedden is forced out at second base in their game against the Brampton Blazers, at the Canadian Midget Fastball Championships, at Squint Lake Park."
Caption from metadata for 535-2619-3: "Burnaby Oakeys' Megan Mackenzie lays down a bunt in their game against the Brampton Blazers, at the Canadian Midget Fastball Championships, at Squint Lake Park."
Collected by editorial for use in a February 2002 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "A Lower Mainland Thunder forward skates around her Thompson-Okanagon [sic] opponent in U-18 Belles ringette provincial playdowns at Burnaby Lake Arena on the weekend. The winner represents British Columbia at the national championships, in Regina in April."
File contains photographs selected for the Burnaby NewsLeader's "Discovery Guide '99." Photographs depict: mostly unidentified people taking part in recreational activities like archery, boating, golf, fishing, hiking, and pottery at locations around Burnaby; musical and dance performances; a windo…
File contains photographs selected for the Burnaby NewsLeader's "Discovery Guide '99." Photographs depict: mostly unidentified people taking part in recreational activities like archery, boating, golf, fishing, hiking, and pottery at locations around Burnaby; musical and dance performances; a window washer on a tower; and a duck swimming on a pond.
Collected by editorial for use an issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata for 535-3319-8: "Kurtis Tylor, of the BC Society of Model Engineers, gives Kyle Miller, 9, a close-up look at an M420 diesel engine. Kyle was part of a group of 200 kids visiting the miniature railway at Confederation Park as part of a summer program at Hastings Park."
Caption from metadata for 535-3319-14: "Tom Stevens, of Everett, Washington, makes sure everything is shipshape on his 1:16 scale model of a 40 ft. Alaskan trawler. He started building the model in 1962, with his dad, and he was putting it through its paces at the Burnaby Association of Marine Modellers annual regatta at the pond in Central Park."