Varnished and beveled wooden cylinder, used to provide a place to bang a gavel. The top surfaces is dented and scratched with use. There is a small, golden coloured metal plaque nailed into the side of the gavel pad with 2 nails. It reads "Presented to The Corporation of The District of Burnaby / Operation Identification 15-5-78 / by Burnaby Kingsway Rotary Club
Object History
Gavel pad used by Mayor William Copland (1987-1996).
William “Bill” Copeland once joked that the reason he ran for mayor of Burnaby was because “there wasn’t a shadow of hope he would be successful” – and when the votes were tallied and he was declared victorious, Bill asked for a recount. Fortunately for the people of Burnaby, he was not serious and instead went on to become an overwhelmingly popular and much-respected leader of the community.
Bill’s service to his community began early in life. Born in Vancouver on May 19, 1927, Bill was still a young man when World War Two began but that did not stop him from serving in the Merchant Marines and in the Royal Canadian Navy. After the war, Bill and his wife Ruth raised three children and in 1955 he embarked on a career with the Burnaby Fire Department. Bill went on to serve Burnaby as a firefighter until his retirement in 1987 as an Assistant Fire Chief. During this lengthy tenure, Bill held a leadership role in the Firefighters’ Union Local 323 and served as Vice President of the 6th District of the International Association of Firefighters.
Over the years, Bill found various ways to contribute to the people of Burnaby. In conjunction with his work with the Fire Department, Bill was also President of the Burnaby Red Cross, Director of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Chairman of the St. John Ambulance, Life Member of the Burnaby North Lions Club and Member of the Deer Lake Chapter of the Rotary Club – to name but a very few of the numerous groups and organizations to which he belonged.
Immediately upon his retirement from the Fire Department in 1987, Bill was asked to run for the position of Mayor of Burnaby and was successful in his bid. As Mayor, Bill earned the respect of Council and the citizens of Burnaby for his outstanding work and dedication to the community.
Bill was an advocate of public participation and introduced the concept of “Area Advisory Committees” to the City with the appointment of the Hastings Street Advisory Committee. The success of this process has led to many other appointments for area advisory committees throughout Burnaby. Bill did not limit his good works to stay within the borders of the City, and as Mayor he was responsible for the two-year sister city twinning agreement with the city of El Zapotal, El Salvador. This campaign saw the citizens of Burnaby embark on numerous initiatives and fundraisers to offer support and assistance to this developing area.
In 1996, Bill retired from public life after serving three terms in office and in 1997, in recognition of Bill’s contribution to the community both as a firefighter and as Mayor, the newly constructed ice arena at Burnaby Lake Sports Complex was officially named the “Bill Copeland Sports Centre,” and in 2001, Bill was made a Freeman of the City.
William Copeland died August 30, 2002.
Varnished and beveled wooden cylinder, used to provide a place to bang a gavel. The top surfaces is dented and scratched with use.
Object History
Gavel pad used by Mayor William Copland (1987-1996).
William “Bill” Copeland once joked that the reason he ran for mayor of Burnaby was because “there wasn’t a shadow of hope he would be successful” – and when the votes were tallied and he was declared victorious, Bill asked for a recount. Fortunately for the people of Burnaby, he was not serious and instead went on to become an overwhelmingly popular and much-respected leader of the community.
Bill’s service to his community began early in life. Born in Vancouver on May 19, 1927, Bill was still a young man when World War Two began but that did not stop him from serving in the Merchant Marines and in the Royal Canadian Navy. After the war, Bill and his wife Ruth raised three children and in 1955 he embarked on a career with the Burnaby Fire Department. Bill went on to serve Burnaby as a firefighter until his retirement in 1987 as an Assistant Fire Chief. During this lengthy tenure, Bill held a leadership role in the Firefighters’ Union Local 323 and served as Vice President of the 6th District of the International Association of Firefighters.
Over the years, Bill found various ways to contribute to the people of Burnaby. In conjunction with his work with the Fire Department, Bill was also President of the Burnaby Red Cross, Director of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Chairman of the St. John Ambulance, Life Member of the Burnaby North Lions Club and Member of the Deer Lake Chapter of the Rotary Club – to name but a very few of the numerous groups and organizations to which he belonged.
Immediately upon his retirement from the Fire Department in 1987, Bill was asked to run for the position of Mayor of Burnaby and was successful in his bid. As Mayor, Bill earned the respect of Council and the citizens of Burnaby for his outstanding work and dedication to the community.
Bill was an advocate of public participation and introduced the concept of “Area Advisory Committees” to the City with the appointment of the Hastings Street Advisory Committee. The success of this process has led to many other appointments for area advisory committees throughout Burnaby. Bill did not limit his good works to stay within the borders of the City, and as Mayor he was responsible for the two-year sister city twinning agreement with the city of El Zapotal, El Salvador. This campaign saw the citizens of Burnaby embark on numerous initiatives and fundraisers to offer support and assistance to this developing area.
In 1996, Bill retired from public life after serving three terms in office and in 1997, in recognition of Bill’s contribution to the community both as a firefighter and as Mayor, the newly constructed ice arena at Burnaby Lake Sports Complex was officially named the “Bill Copeland Sports Centre,” and in 2001, Bill was made a Freeman of the City.
William Copeland died August 30, 2002.
In February 1965, the Planning Department presented to Burnaby Council a preliminary Development Plan entitled "Pacific Sports Centre," for the area immediately west of Burnaby Lake. This report proposed a conceptual plan for a comprehensive range of indoor and outdoor sporting facilities adjacent to Burnaby Lake. The idea was accepted by Council and led to the construction of the Burnaby Lake Rink beside the C.G. Brown Pool. In 1973, Burnaby and New Westminster jointly hosted the Canada Summer Games for which a rowing course and pavilion were built at Burnaby Lake and the success of the games and the sports facilities added within Burnaby Lake Park provided further stimulus for the creation of the sports and recreation facilities at this site.
Photograph of a Burnaby Hawks player taking an elbow from a Colorado player during Burnaby's 35th annual bantam AAA Christmas tournament at Bill Copeland Sports Centre.
Photograph of a Burnaby Hawks player taking an elbow from a Colorado player during Burnaby's 35th annual bantam AAA Christmas tournament at Bill Copeland Sports Centre.
Note in black ink on recto of photograph reads: "Bby p. 21 / 593 Bby Brian"
Trim marks and/or reproduction instructions on recto (scan is cropped)
Accompanying caption reads: "March 22, 1998 593: / Burnaby player is pursued by Mission counterpart in PeeWee C tournament play Wednesday at Bill Copeland Sports Centre."
Photograph of Coquitlam Adanacs goalie Kevin Hazelwood and Burnaby Lakers forward Daniel Plante in action during a Junior A lacrosse game at the Bill Copeland Arena.
Photograph of Coquitlam Adanacs goalie Kevin Hazelwood and Burnaby Lakers forward Daniel Plante in action during a Junior A lacrosse game at the Bill Copeland Arena.
Collected by editorial for use in a May 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Coquitlam Adanacs' goalie Kevin Hazelwood trips of Burnaby Lakers' forward Daniel Plante in Junior A lacrosse action at Copeland Arena in Burnaby. Hazelwood was penalized for hooking on the play."
Photograph of Burnaby resident John Unger filing out a comment form at a open house and community consultation event about development plans for Burnaby Mountain, held at the Copeland Arena. Posters outlining the development plans are visible behind Unger.
Photograph of Burnaby resident John Unger filing out a comment form at a open house and community consultation event about development plans for Burnaby Mountain, held at the Copeland Arena. Posters outlining the development plans are visible behind Unger.
Collected by editorial for use in a July 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Burnaby residents, like John Unger, take the opportunity to fill out comment forms at an open house at Copeland Arena to unveil development plans for Burnaby Mountain."
File contains photographs of a game between the Burnaby Thunder and the Chilliwack Coyotes at the Burnaby Minor Hockey's 37th Bantam AAA tournament at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre. Photographs depict Chilliwack players Drew Martz and Michael Kittirath, Burnaby player Ashley Kurtz, and two other …
File contains photographs of a game between the Burnaby Thunder and the Chilliwack Coyotes at the Burnaby Minor Hockey's 37th Bantam AAA tournament at the Bill Copeland Sports Centre. Photographs depict Chilliwack players Drew Martz and Michael Kittirath, Burnaby player Ashley Kurtz, and two other unidentified Burnaby players in action.
Collected by editorial for use in a January 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata for 535-3053-1: "Chilliwack Coyotes' goalie Drew Martz turns away Burnaby's Ashley Kurtz at Burnaby Minor Hockey's 37th Bantam AAA tournament, at Copeland Sports Centre."
Caption from metadata for 535-3053-2: "Chilliwack Coyotes' forward Michael Kittirath is checked by two Burnaby Thunder defenders at Burnaby Minor Hockey's 37th annual Bantam AAA tournament at Copeland Sports Centre."
Collected by editorial for use in a January 2001 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "A Burnaby Winter Club Bruins' forward can't reach the puck to put it past Richmond goalie Duncan Mathers in round robin action at the 38th Bantam AAA International Tournament at Copeland Arena."
File contains photographs of hockey players on the Burnaby Bulldogs team. In one photograph, two players walk on their knees through the hall of the Copeland Arena. In the other, players huddle around to listen to their coach on the ice rink.
File contains photographs of hockey players on the Burnaby Bulldogs team. In one photograph, two players walk on their knees through the hall of the Copeland Arena. In the other, players huddle around to listen to their coach on the ice rink.
Collected by editorial for use in a December 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata for 535-1599-1: "No, these Burnaby Bulldogs players aren't being punished. Without skate guards, ? (no. 17) and ? (no. 30) improvise to get from the practise rink at Copeland Arena to the elevator that takes them down to their dressing room."