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
Alfred Hickman
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 11 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two men standing outside Hickman's Grocery on Patterson Avenue near the railroad tracks. One of the men is Alfred Hickman, the store's owner. Signs on the store read, "Hickmans / Groceries / Produce" and "Groceries / Hickmans / Meats." Signs in the window advertise wieners and "Mea…
A. Matheson and Sons Market
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1957
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.9 x 9.0 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the A. Matheson & Sons store building located at 3576 Kingsway (later renumbered 4920 Kingsway) and Nelson Avenue. Signs on the store read, "A. Matheson & Sons Market / Fresh Meats - Groceries / Quality and Service / Dexter 1372, 1373 / Free Delivery." Additional signs and billboard…
Astor Hotel
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1958
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.5 x 25.6 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Astor Hotel at 4561 Kingsway and McKay Avenue. A hotel sign reads, "Welcome HRH Princess Margaret to Burnaby." The Astor Coffee Shop is to the right of the hotel.
Burnaby Chamber of Commerce
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1959]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 18.1 x 21.9 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the "Yesterday and Today" display, Burnaby Chamber of Commerce. Signs on either side of the display read, "Burnaby has ten miles of Fraser River frontage" and "Burnaby has ten miles of deepsea frontage." In the centre is a display of photographs. Signs on both sides of the display …
Burnaby Unemployed Action Association strike
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [194-]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b& w ; 11.5 x 17 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of people in winter coats picketing inbetween cars in front of an unidentified building. A man holds a sign that reads, "BURNABY UNEMPLOYED ACTION ASSN."
Canadian Pacific Railway emblem
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [between 1930 and 1949]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 5.5 x 8 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the sign on the back of train a car gate. The sign is circular in shape with a "Canadian Pacific Railway Lines" emblem in the center bordered by the words " - Chinook - Calgary -Edmonton."
Cascade Drive-In Theatre
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1949] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.0 x 4.4 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.7 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Cascade Drive-In Theatre at 4050 Grandview Highway.
Contractors
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- April 20, 1947
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.4 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a sign indexing contractors and their phone numbers. The top of the sign reads: "Whitsell Construction Co. Ltd., General Contractors, Glen. 1434-1435." Others contractors listed are: Clearing and excavating: Holmes & Wilson, BA.0098; Concrete: J. Marcovitch; Brickwork: Selkirk Sadler…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- April 20, 1947
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Series
- Community Archives Collection series
- Subseries
- Alfred Bingham subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.4 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 010-067
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a sign indexing contractors and their phone numbers. The top of the sign reads: "Whitsell Construction Co. Ltd., General Contractors, Glen. 1434-1435." Others contractors listed are: Clearing and excavating: Holmes & Wilson, BA.0098; Concrete: J. Marcovitch; Brickwork: Selkirk Sadler & Son, KE.1458; Electrical: L.J. McKinnon, PA.2471; Millwork: R.F. Tait Woodworkers, BA.6491; Painting: E. Olsson & Sons Ltd., GL.1434; Plumbing: F. Fenk, DE.3071; Plastering: Turner Bros., FA.2572-4982R; Roofing and strapping: Ray Shaw, FR.4720; Floors: Dunbar Hardwood Floor Ltd., KE.3646; Septic tanks: N. Cosco, BA.4987; Tiling: Darlington Haskins Co. 1943 Ltd., BA.4829. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
- Subjects
- Industries - Construction
- Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards
- Names
- Darlington Haskins Company
- Dunbar Hardwood Floor Limited
- E. Olsson and Sons Limited
- F. Fenk
- Holmes and Wilson Trucking Company Limited
- L.J. McKinnon
- Cosco, N.
- Ray Shaw
- R.F. Tait Woodworkers
- Selkirk Sadler and Son
- Turner Brothers
- Whitsell Construction Company Limited
- Marcovitch, J.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Bingham, Alfred "Alf"
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Less detail
Cornerstone for New Municipal Hall
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1955
- Collection/Fonds
- Charles MacSorley fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 9 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the commemorative cornerstone laid for the new Municipal Hall building. The stone reads: "This stone was laid by His Worship Reeve Charles W. MacSorley / September 23rd 1955."
Edna and Bill Maggs
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1942 (date of original), copied 1992
- 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 husband and wife, Bill and Edna Maggs, beside the Burnaby Shoe Hospital and Mr. Shewbrook's insurance office shortly after their wedding.
Exhibition Park
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1958
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold H. Johnston fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph (jpeg) : b&w
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a crowd of people gathered near the entrance to the exhibition park at the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) in Vancouver, BC. A banner at the top of the entrance reads "B.C. Centennial Year 1858-1958" and the marquis below the "Exhibition Park" sign reads "Water Follies of 58 / Shri…
Frank Battersby in Vernon
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1944]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 10.5 x 6 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Frank Battersby in his Seaforth Highlander uniform walking by a sign post in Vernon, British Columbia. The sign post has five arrows (pointing to the same direction) which read, "LAKE LOUISE", "MORAINE LAKE", "YOHO", "FIELD" and "GOLDEN" respectively.
The Great Divide
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [between 1930 and 1949]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 5.5 x 8 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a sign in the Canadian Rocky Mountains that reads "THE GREAT DIVIDE/ ALBERTA/ BRITISH COLUMBIA/ ALTITUDE 5332 FEET" taken from a train.
Hickman Family Store
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1940] (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of Hickmans Market. This store was owned and operated by Alf Hickman and was located on Patterson Avenue (later numbered 5932 Patterson Avenue).
Hotel Burnaby
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1958]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.3 x 25.2 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Hotel Burnaby at 1385 Kingsway (later renumbered 7610 Kingsway). An electric "Hotel Burnaby / Vacancy / Parking" sign can be seen on the right. A diner can be seen on the left side of the building with signs reading, "Dining Room," "Diner," "Soda Fountain," "Breakfasts, Lunches, Din…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1958]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Series
- Community Archives Collection series
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.3 x 25.2 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 105-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Hotel Burnaby at 1385 Kingsway (later renumbered 7610 Kingsway). An electric "Hotel Burnaby / Vacancy / Parking" sign can be seen on the right. A diner can be seen on the left side of the building with signs reading, "Dining Room," "Diner," "Soda Fountain," "Breakfasts, Lunches, Dinners," "Coffee Bar," and "Licensed Premises." Coca-Cola advertisements are also visible. There are entrances to the building with signs above them readings, "Lobby," "Men," and "Ladies and Escorts."
- Subjects
- Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards
- Buildings - Commercial - Hotels and Motels
- Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants
- Names
- Hotel Burnaby Limited
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Croton Studio Limited
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Stamp on back of photograph reads, "Croton Studio / New Westminster BC"
- Geographic Access
- Kingsway
- Street Address
- 7610 Kingsway
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Edmonds Area
Less detail
Hotel Burnaby
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1953]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w postcard ; 8.7 x 13.1 cm
- Scope and Content
- 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."
Hotel Burnaby Ltd.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1955]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. postcard ; 9 x 14 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photographic postcard of Burnaby Hotel located at 1385 Kingsway (old street numbering system). Printed at the bottom of the postcard is the following: Hotel Burnaby Ltd. / 1385 Kingsway at 14th Avenue / Burnaby 3, New Westminster, B.C., Telephone LA 1-8891. On the reverse is written: "Hotel Burna…
Lindsay Johnson and L.B. Johnson
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1956] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.0 x 3.0 cm print on contact sheet 20.4 x 26.9 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Lindsay Johnson and her grandfather, L.B. Johnson, at the Lougheed Drive-In Theatre on the 4200 block of Lougheed Highway at Gilmore Avenue. They are standing in front of a sign for the snack bar and restrooms.
Lougheed Drive-In Theatre Marquee
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1956] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.6 x 3.9 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.7 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Lougheed Drive-In Theatre marquee stating that the theatre is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and listing the movies playing. A car is parked beside the ticket booth. The theatre was located on the 4200 block of Lougheed Highway at Gilmore Avenue.