Up until the 1970s, this neighbourhood was known as Vancouver Heights. When a new park was created during that decade and named "Burnaby Heights Park," the name was gradually adopted by newcomers to the area. Today, you will hear residents refer to their neighbourhood as Burnaby Heights, Vancouver Heights, or just "The Heights." Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the commercial district in this neighbourhood continued to grow and a Retail Merchants Association was formed which later became known as the Heights Merchants Association. The neighbourhood still retains a residential neighbourhood characteristic with an increasing number of apartment buildings and multi-family units being built over the past 20 years.
North Burnaby's waterfront was the location of a unique squatter's community known as Crabtown. Although its origins are obscure, it is believed that the first shacks were built before 1912. When the depression of 1913-1917 began, the shacks became permanent homes for impoverished workers. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the community grew larger. Crabtown was not a slum, but a neighbourhood - the community even rallied together to build a water supply system and trails up the steep bluff with steps and banisters so children could go to school safely. In 1957, the National Harbours Board decided that Crabtown was encroaching on Federal property and evicted all 130 residents. Within a few months, residents were relocated and 114 homes were levelled.
This home was built for Francois Xavier “Frank” Comeau (1863-1943), a blacksmith who moved from Quebec to Vancouver in about 1890, and his wife Cezarie Marie (née Fortin, 1860-1950), also from Quebec, whom he married in 1903. Featuring a front gabled roof with decorative triangular eave brackets, this comfortable Craftsman bungalow displays other characteristics typical of the style such as lapped siding at the foundation, a shingle-clad main floor, casement windows and stained glass transoms on the front elevation. The most notable feature of the plan is the inset verandah with subtle segmental-arched openings and tapered square columns.
This house was built for local plumber contractor George Nuttall (1883-1970) and his wife Rose Ann Nuttall (née Clagg, 1881-1955). George continued to live in the house after Rose’s death, until his own death in 1970. Although typical of the Craftsman style and form with its side-gabled roof, triangular eave brackets and front gabled dormer, this house has a number of special details, such as its beautiful art glass transom windows. The front verandah supports are massive stucco columns that contain stained glass lanterns with the house name, Hillcrest, and address.
This cottage illustrates the traditionalism of the interwar years, when domestic ideals were expressed through modest homes displaying period revival influences. Reflecting the influence of the British Arts and Crafts movement, it features a symmetrical plan, a side jerkin-headed roof, a gabled front dormer and twin-coursed shingle siding, and retains its original wooden-sash windows with unusual multi-paned upper sash. It was built for John R. and Jessie MacLean. The house was recently restored by the owners.
Originally built as North Burnaby High School, this eight-room school became Rosser Avenue School in 1945. It has been altered with replacement windows, the application of stucco over the original siding and an addition, but has retained its historical form, including a hipped roof with half-timbered gables and a domed roof ventilator. The Rosser Elementary School was designed by the architectural firm of Bowman & Cullerne, who specialized in school design. The firm’s projects include Seaforth School (1922, now relocated to Burnaby Village Museum), Windsor Street School (1923), and Nelson Avenue School (1927).
Vancouver Heights remained an important residential and commercial centre in Burnaby throughout the 1925-1954 period. The area had its own Board of Trade and the North Burnaby Library was created to serve the residents. In 1949, the Hastings streetcars stopped running, but the area retained its reputation as one of the best shopping districts in the city.
On December 13, 1912, The British Columbian Weekly described the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood as follows: "The northern portion of the municipality in the vicinity of Boundary Road has during the past three years made tremendous strides towards settlement. At that time Mr. James Herd and Mr. Peters were the only residents of the district...Soon, however, the timber was removed, streets laid out and other conveniences such as water, light and transportation provided... The school population of the district has increased so rapidly that the school has been enlarged twice this year and is at the present time inadequate. About 200 children are attending now. There are three churches in the district and one mission...At present time there are two large blocks containing six stores..."
This building was originally built in 1926 as the Vancouver Heights United Church; a Sunday School was added in 1931, which conformed to the church building’s Romanesque influenced style. This unique Burnaby building has retained its remarkable three-storey tower with buttresses and stepped parapet. It now houses the New Apostolic Church.
Photographs of the residential houses and laneways located at 3717-3763 Albert Street - addresses that no longer exist. The property's current address is 3755 Albert Street.
Photographs of the residential houses and laneways located at 3717-3763 Albert Street - addresses that no longer exist. The property's current address is 3755 Albert Street.
Photographs of a two-storey commercial building located at 3900 through 3978 Hastings Street, with a residential tower visible behind it. Stores visible in the photograph include: Budget Video, a dental centre, a produce store, Autoplan Insurance, Da Vinci Travel, Great Pacific Management, and Hea…
Photographs of a two-storey commercial building located at 3900 through 3978 Hastings Street, with a residential tower visible behind it. Stores visible in the photograph include: Budget Video, a dental centre, a produce store, Autoplan Insurance, Da Vinci Travel, Great Pacific Management, and Head Waze Hair and Skin Studio.
1 photograph : b&w ; 4.9 x 2.7 cm print on contact sheet 20.2 x 25.3 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of siblings Bea and Don Carpenter seated in a chair at the front of their home on the 4000 block of Cambridge Street. The photograph was taken facing the street. Note the carpet in front of the chair.
1 photograph : b&w ; 4.9 x 2.7 cm print on contact sheet 20.2 x 25.3 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
370-137
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS1999-03
Scope and Content
Photograph of siblings Bea and Don Carpenter seated in a chair at the front of their home on the 4000 block of Cambridge Street. The photograph was taken facing the street. Note the carpet in front of the chair.
Photograph of the Percival Bradbury family home in the 4100 block of Albert Street, North Burnaby. Percival was married to Kate Bradbury and settled in Burnaby in 1927. Later, the family moved south of Hastings Street.
Photograph of the Percival Bradbury family home in the 4100 block of Albert Street, North Burnaby. Percival was married to Kate Bradbury and settled in Burnaby in 1927. Later, the family moved south of Hastings Street.
Photograph of the Brown family feeding chickens. From left: Alex Brown (brother, later to become MD), Janet Brown (sister), and Janet Mackintosh Macfarlane Maclean (grandmother). This photograph was taken in back of the Brown family home, 3846 Triumph, Vancouver Heights. The house was owned by t…
Photograph of the Brown family feeding chickens. From left: Alex Brown (brother, later to become MD), Janet Brown (sister), and Janet Mackintosh Macfarlane Maclean (grandmother). This photograph was taken in back of the Brown family home, 3846 Triumph, Vancouver Heights. The house was owned by the grandmother.
Photograph of Cindy Johnson, of Golden Dream Murals, painting a mural that was commissioned by the Heights Merchants Association on the 4000 block of Hastings Street.
Photograph of Cindy Johnson, of Golden Dream Murals, painting a mural that was commissioned by the Heights Merchants Association on the 4000 block of Hastings Street.
Collected by editorial for use in an October 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Cindy Johnson, of Golden Dream Murals, puts the final touches on a new mural behind the Bank of Nova Scotia on Hastings St. The mural is a joint venture between local businesses and The Heights Merchants Association."