Although still largely a rural area during the 1920s, subdivisions began appearing in the Central Park neighbourhood at this time. Development was slowed by the Great Depression of the 1930s but the influx of commercial buildings and new housing initiatives in the post-war boom led to a period of rapid growth especially in the Garden Village subdivision which was undertaken in 1953 with the plan to build 500 modern homes in the 140-acre site. Despite the closure of the interurban line in 1953, the neighbourhood remained an active commercial and residential centre.
In 1906, Maxwell Smith, President of the Central Park Farmer's Institute gave a speech in which he commented on the growth of this district and its ideal location during the boom years after 1905. He said: "Central Park is destined to become the epicentre of a great commercial metropolis, when Vancouver and New Westminster will have both expanded and prospered until they meet and fill up the intervening distances with residences of a new city, greater than few can now imagine, even in their wildest flights of fancy...we are proud of the two cities that lie on either side of us but they are, but mere hamlets compared with the great city that is to be on this peninsula. The time is coming when there will be one vast city, one commercial metropolis, and Central Park will be the heart of it."
The Kelly Douglas Company was founded in 1896 as a wholesale grocery business. It enjoyed rapid success during the Klondike Goldrush of 1898 when it became a primary supplier for prospectors. In 1946, its headquarters moved from Vancouver to Burnaby and a manufacturing plant and warehouse was built on the site.
1 photograph : b&w ; 2.7 x 4.0 cm print on contact sheet 20.4 x 26.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of a 1927 "Durant" automobile, parked in front of the home of Annie and Jim Ellis at 2924 Silver Avenue (later renumbered 6113 Silver Avenue). The Ford Motor plant is visible in the background.
1 photograph : b&w ; 2.7 x 4.0 cm print on contact sheet 20.4 x 26.5 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
370-321
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS1999-03
Scope and Content
Photograph of a 1927 "Durant" automobile, parked in front of the home of Annie and Jim Ellis at 2924 Silver Avenue (later renumbered 6113 Silver Avenue). The Ford Motor plant is visible in the background.
1 photograph : b&w ; 4.5 x 2.6 cm print on contact sheet 20.3 x 25.3 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of neighbours of the Murley family on the 2700 block of Willingdon Avenue (later renumbered as the 6300 block of Willingdon Avenue). A woman and two children are standing in front of a house.
1 photograph : b&w ; 4.5 x 2.6 cm print on contact sheet 20.3 x 25.3 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
370-105
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS1999-03
Scope and Content
Photograph of neighbours of the Murley family on the 2700 block of Willingdon Avenue (later renumbered as the 6300 block of Willingdon Avenue). A woman and two children are standing in front of a house.
1 photograph : b&w ; 2.8 x 4.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.3 x 27.0 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of fire damage at the side of 6113 Silver Avenue, the Ellis family home. A ladder is leaning against the side of the house, and a person can be seen in the window.
1 photograph : b&w ; 2.8 x 4.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.3 x 27.0 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
370-369
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS1999-03
Scope and Content
Photograph of fire damage at the side of 6113 Silver Avenue, the Ellis family home. A ladder is leaning against the side of the house, and a person can be seen in the window.
Photograph of the exterior of Allen Sharpe's first store on Kingsway (at Kathleen Avenue), a sign shop and store that also sold groceries and Mrs. Rose Sharpe's hand-made linens. The Sharpes bought the property in 1919.
Photograph of the exterior of Allen Sharpe's first store on Kingsway (at Kathleen Avenue), a sign shop and store that also sold groceries and Mrs. Rose Sharpe's hand-made linens. The Sharpes bought the property in 1919.
Photograph of Allen Sharpe's gas station on Kingsway (at Kathleen Avenue) with a group of men standing in front. Mr. Sharpe is on the right wearing a cap and tie. Signs on the building read, "Sharpe Service Garage / Shell Gasoline / Motor Oil / Tires."
Photograph of Allen Sharpe's gas station on Kingsway (at Kathleen Avenue) with a group of men standing in front. Mr. Sharpe is on the right wearing a cap and tie. Signs on the building read, "Sharpe Service Garage / Shell Gasoline / Motor Oil / Tires."
1 photograph : b&w ; 2.8 x 4.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.6 x 26.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photorgraph of (left to right) Alma, Jack and George F. Nichols in the garden at 4016 Kingsway (later renumbered 4548 Kingsway). The family lived behind the Nichols Family Meat Market on Kingsway.
1 photograph : b&w ; 2.8 x 4.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.6 x 26.5 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
370-762
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS1999-03
Scope and Content
Photorgraph of (left to right) Alma, Jack and George F. Nichols in the garden at 4016 Kingsway (later renumbered 4548 Kingsway). The family lived behind the Nichols Family Meat Market on Kingsway.
Photograph of members of the Alta Vista Baptist Church Sunday school class at the Jubilee Interurban train Station, on the way to a Picnic at Second Beach. Included in the photograph are, from left; Pearl Christian, Joy [last name unknown], Phyllis Smith, Ivy Smith, Dorothy Douglas, Grace Harrison,…
Photograph of members of the Alta Vista Baptist Church Sunday school class at the Jubilee Interurban train Station, on the way to a Picnic at Second Beach. Included in the photograph are, from left; Pearl Christian, Joy [last name unknown], Phyllis Smith, Ivy Smith, Dorothy Douglas, Grace Harrison, [unidentified]. Mrs. Nellie Davis [not pictured] taught this class.
Item is a digitized silent film segment identified as Reel 16. The film footage shows land being cleared to make way for the Digney Speedway located near the corner of Irmin Street and MacPherson Avenue, one of the men seen in this footage clearing the land is named Lucky Fordham. The film continue…
Item is a digitized silent film segment identified as Reel 16. The film footage shows land being cleared to make way for the Digney Speedway located near the corner of Irmin Street and MacPherson Avenue, one of the men seen in this footage clearing the land is named Lucky Fordham. The film continues with footage of a press dinner in the garden of Andy Digney's home on Bonsor Avenue in Burnaby and is followed with footage of the Digney Speedway in operation for the grand opening on July 8, 1948. Midget cars and jalopies (stock cars) can be seen racing on the speedway. Some of the footage of the raceway pit and races switches to black and white.The film closes with colour footage of a truck moving Lucky Fordham's house from Bonsor Ave to the speedway.