Burnaby Civic Employees Union Memorial Fountain
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Description
- This memorial granite drinking fountain is a monument to Burnaby’s municipal employees who lost their lives in the First World War. It has been relocated from its original setting to a shaded arterial pathway within the Burnaby Village Museum.
- Associated Dates
- 1923
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Geographic Access
- Deer Lake Avenue
- Associated Dates
- 1923
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Enactment Type
- Bylaw No. 9807
- Enactment Date
- 23/11/1992
- Description
- This memorial granite drinking fountain is a monument to Burnaby’s municipal employees who lost their lives in the First World War. It has been relocated from its original setting to a shaded arterial pathway within the Burnaby Village Museum.
- Heritage Value
- The fountain is an early civic monument with superior massing and detail, constructed of local materials by local stonemason William Williamson. It was erected by the Burnaby Civic Employees Union (now CUPE Local 23) in 1923, on Burnaby’s original Municipal Hall grounds located at Kingsway and Edmonds Street, to honour their members who lost their lives in the First World War, commemorated by an engraved memorial at the top of the fountain. It signifies an important connection with the early strength and prominence of the civic labour union in Burnaby, as this was a memorial erected by the union members themselves, rather than by the civic government.
Many war memorials were constructed across Canada after the end of the First World War, however, most are static, inviting passive contemplation. This memorial is unusual in its combination of functions; its use as a drinking fountain invites active participation. The memorial also includes a stone drinking bowl for dogs at the bottom left of the memorial, further illustrating the daily functional use of the fountain.
The heritage value for this fountain also lies in its interpretive value within the Burnaby Village Museum. The site is an important cultural feature for the interpretation of Burnaby’s heritage to the public. The fountain was moved to the Burnaby Village Museum in 1974.
- Defining Elements
- The character defining features of the Burnaby Civic Employees Union Memorial Fountain include its:
- distinctive form with central water fountain
- construction of rough-dressed local B.C. granite
- engraved memorial at the top
- carved emblematic maple leaf
- drinking fountain function
- dog drinking bowl
- Locality
- Deer Lake Park
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Morley-Buckingham Area
- Organization
- Burnaby Civic Employees Union
- CUPE Local 23
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Builder
- William Williamson
- Function
- Primary Current--Monument
- Primary Historic--Monument
- Secondary Current--Museum
- Community
- Burnaby
- Cadastral Identifier
- P.I.D. No. 011-030-356
Legal Description: Parcel 1, District Lot 79 and District Lot 85, Group 1, New Westminster District, Reference Plan 77594
- Boundaries
- Burnaby Village Museum is comprised of a single municipally-owned property located at 6501 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby.
- Area
- 38,488.63
- Contributing Resource
- Building
- Structure
- Landscape Feature
- Ownership
- Public (local)
- Documentation
- Heritage Site Files: PC77000 20. City of Burnaby Planning and Building Department, 4949 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C., V5G 1M2
- Names
- Burnaby Civic Employees Union
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Street Address
- 6501 Deer Lake Avenue
Less detail
Burnaby Civic Employees Union Annual Picnic
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1 Aug. 1953
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 16.5 x 68.5 cm in frame 19 x 70.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Burnaby Civic Employees Union (Local 23) Annual Picnic in Belcarra Park, Vancouver.
Burnaby Civic Employees' Union Local No. 23 constitution and bylaws
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- October 1975
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Civic Employees' Union fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 booklet
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of "Burnaby Civic Employees' Local Union No. 23 Constitution and Bylaws" booklet as amended to October 1975. The booklet was chartered by Canadian Union of Public Employees 1963. The booklet contains various information about the Burnaby Civic Employees Local Union.
Burnaby Civic Employees union picnic
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1931
- Collection/Fonds
- Richard Hardy family fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 6.4 x 8.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of four civic employees at the Burnaby Civic Employees Union picnic. John McEdwards is identified on the far right of the photograph, seated on a bench next to three unidentified women, water can be seen in the background.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1931
- Collection/Fonds
- Richard Hardy family fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 6.4 x 8.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 570-025
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- 2014-16
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of four civic employees at the Burnaby Civic Employees Union picnic. John McEdwards is identified on the far right of the photograph, seated on a bench next to three unidentified women, water can be seen in the background.
- Subjects
- Recreational Activities - Picnics
- Names
- Burnaby Civic Employees Union
- McEdwards, John
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on notes taken from the back of the photograph
- Note on verso reads: "John McEdwards (Rt) / 1931"
Less detail
Burnaby Civic Employees union picnic
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1931
- Collection/Fonds
- Richard Hardy family fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 6 x 9 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a group of men and women gathered for the Burnaby Civic Employees Union picnic. One of the men is identified as 'Dick'. The group in the foreground is seated on a bench with people looking over a railing in behind them, mountains and water can be seen in the background.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1931
- Collection/Fonds
- Richard Hardy family fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 6 x 9 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 570-026
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- 2014-16
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a group of men and women gathered for the Burnaby Civic Employees Union picnic. One of the men is identified as 'Dick'. The group in the foreground is seated on a bench with people looking over a railing in behind them, mountains and water can be seen in the background.
- Subjects
- Recreational Activities - Picnics
- Names
- Burnaby Civic Employees Union
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on notes taken from the back of the photograph
- Note on verso reads: "Union Picnic / 1931 / Dick"
Less detail
Burnaby Civic Employees union picnic
Burnaby Civic Employees' Local Union No. 23 constitution and bylaws
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- March 1961
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Civic Employees' Union fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 booklet : 39 p.
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of "Burnaby Civic Employees' Local Union No. 23 Constitution and Bylaws" booklet (Revised: March 1961).
Burnaby Civic Employees Picnic
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1929
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 22.5 x 48 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Burnaby Civic Employees Picnic on Bowen Island on July 18, 1929. Employees are seated on the ground in a grassy clearing with trees and a building or gazebo behind them.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1929
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Series
- Community Archives Collection series
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 22.5 x 48 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 592-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1993-11
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Burnaby Civic Employees Picnic on Bowen Island on July 18, 1929. Employees are seated on the ground in a grassy clearing with trees and a building or gazebo behind them.
- Names
- Burnaby Civic Employees Union
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Note in blue ink on verso of photograph reads: "V. Palenthorpe / 7665 Haszard Street / Burnaby B.C. / 521-6089"
- Note in blue ink in handwritten script on the front of photograph reads: "July 18, 1929 / Burnaby Civic Employees Picnic Bowen Island"
Less detail
Burnaby Civic Employees Picnic
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1949
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.2 x 79.0 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a group of men, women and children at a Burnaby Civic Employees Picnic at Belcarra Park. Some of the people identified in the photograph are: Judith Hunter Conners, Ann Grover, Ed Engberg, John Fredrick Grover, David Hunter, Phyllis Hunter, Jim Grover, Sid [Dote?], possibly Charlie Fo…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1949
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Series
- Community Archives Collection series
- Subseries
- Burnaby Civic Employees subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.2 x 79.0 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 198-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1987-09
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a group of men, women and children at a Burnaby Civic Employees Picnic at Belcarra Park. Some of the people identified in the photograph are: Judith Hunter Conners, Ann Grover, Ed Engberg, John Fredrick Grover, David Hunter, Phyllis Hunter, Jim Grover, Sid [Dote?], possibly Charlie Fothergill, and possibly Mrs. Fothergill. An annotation at the bottom centre of photograph reads, "Burnaby Civic Employees / Picnic Belcarra Park July 1949," and at the bottom right of the photo, "Sunday's Photos."
- Subjects
- Geographic Features - Parks
- Recreational Activities - Picnics
- Names
- Conners, Judith Hunter
- Engberg, Ed
- Fothergill, Charlie
- Grover, Ann
- Grover, Jim
- Grover, John Fredrick
- Hunter, David
- Hunter, Phyllis
- Burnaby Civic Employees Union
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Sunday, Fred William
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Less detail
Burnaby Civic Employees picnic
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1928
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 16 x 42 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a group of Burnaby Civic Employees Union members at their annual summer picnic (the location has not been identified but could have been held on Bowen Island).
Unveiling of the Memorial Fountain
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- June 17, 1923
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 15.3 x 18.3 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the unveiling the First World War memorial fountain at the Municipal Hall, Kingsway and Edmonds Street, on June 17, 1923. It was dedicated to Municipal employees who died in the War. Engraved at the top of the memorial is "[In memory?] of our fellow workers who fell in the war, 1914…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- June 17, 1923
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Series
- Community Archives Collection series
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 15.3 x 18.3 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 025-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the unveiling the First World War memorial fountain at the Municipal Hall, Kingsway and Edmonds Street, on June 17, 1923. It was dedicated to Municipal employees who died in the War. Engraved at the top of the memorial is "[In memory?] of our fellow workers who fell in the war, 1914-1918 / Erected by the Civic Employees Union - Burnaby - 1923." At the right is Dora Wilcox, daughter of Ernest Wilcox who was killed on the Somme in 1916. She unveiled the fountain. Uniformed boys, possibly Boy Scouts, and a bugler are also pictured. In 1974, this memorial was relocated from its original setting to the site of the Burnaby Village Museum on Deer Lake Avenue.
- Subjects
- Ceremonies
- Monuments - War Memorials
- Wars - World War, 1914-1918
- Fountains
- Names
- Wilcox, Dora
- Burnaby Civic Employees Union
- Burnaby City Hall
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Kingsway
- Deer Lake Avenue
- Street Address
- 7282 Kingsway
- 6501 Deer Lake Avenue
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
- Morley-Buckingham Area
Less detail
World War One Memorial
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1923
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia postcard ; 13.5 x 9 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photographic postcard of the World War One memorial in front of the Municipal Hall at Edmonds and Kingsway. The memorial is inscribed "In memory of our fellow workers who fell in the war 1914-1918 / Erected by the Civic Employees Union - Burnaby - 1923." In 1974, this memorial was relocated from …
Inkwells to Internet: A History of Burnaby Schools
Burnaby City Watch program
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [2004]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph (tiff) : col.
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Bill Pegler, president of CUPE Local 23, and Robert Grimm, a City of Burnaby employee, speaking through the window of a City of Burnaby fleet car in a residential neighbourhood.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [2004]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph (tiff) : col.
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 535-1754
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No restrictions
- Accession Number
- 2018-12
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Bill Pegler, president of CUPE Local 23, and Robert Grimm, a City of Burnaby employee, speaking through the window of a City of Burnaby fleet car in a residential neighbourhood.
- Subjects
- Occupations - Civic Workers
- Public Services - Policing
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Bartel, Mario
- Notes
- Title based on caption
- Collected by editorial for use in a January 2004 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
- Caption from metadata: "Bill Pegler, the president of the Burnaby civic employees union, CUPE Local23, gives some pointers to Robert Grimm, of Burnaby's licensing department, on how to keep an eye out for suspicious activity during the course of his tours around the city. CUPE is proposing to create a City Watch program which will train employees on the streets how to recognize criminal activity, how to record it and how to stay safe"
Less detail
memorial drinking fountain
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- BV985.1242.1
- Description
- The Memorial fountain is made of British Columbia granite. The fountain is currently three courses of rough stone, leading up to the smooth water bowl. Two side pillars carry the memorial stone and the peaked cap stone at the top.
The memorial stone's face is smooth, to present the cut text of the memorial. There is a maple leaf cut into the face of the cap stone. The text and the maple leaf are highlighted with black paint.
There is a small block at the rear of the fountain to allow children easy access and there is a smooth stone drinking bowl for animals at the proper right of the base of the fountain.
The fountain on its original site was four courses high. In its current site the bottom course is set level with the ground. The main bowl is supplied with running water but the animal bowl is dry.
- Object History
- The fountain was erected by the Burnaby Civic Employees Union (now CUPE Local 23) and is dedicated to Union members who died in the Great War. Local stonemason, William Williamson, constructed the fountain in 1923 and it was unveiled on June 17, 1923. In 1977, the fountain was moved and rededicated from the old Burnaby Municipal Hall site to its current site at Burnaby Village Museum. On November 23, 1992, the fountain was given official Heritage Designation by Bylaw # 9807, Municipality of Burnaby
- Marks/Labels
- "IN MEMEORY / OF OUR FELLOW WORKERS WHO FELL IN THE WAR / 1914 - 1918 / ERECTED BY / THE CIVIC EMPLOYEES UNION - BURNABY - 1923", cut into the smoothed face of the memorial stone on the fountain.
There is a maple leaf cut into the face of the cap stone on the top of the fountain. The maple leaf motif is also used on veteran grave stones.
- Maker
- William Williamson
- Country Made
- Canada
- Province Made
- British Columbia
- Site/City Made
- Burnaby
- Subjects
- Fountains
- Wars
- Monuments - War Memorials
- Wars - World War, 1914-1918
- Organizations - Unions
- Names
- Williamson, William
Less detail