This portion of the interview is about Bill Lewarne’s discussion of the attitudes, energy and time commitment required for operating a seasonal business and needed for politics. He mentions the Nelson Avenue family home, still lived in by his mother
This portion of the interview is about Bill Lewarne’s discussion of the attitudes, energy and time commitment required for operating a seasonal business and needed for politics. He mentions the Nelson Avenue family home, still lived in by his mother
Date Range
1937-1990
Photo Info
Burnaby Alderman, Bill (William) Lewarne, [1973]. Item no. 231-012
Recording is of an interview with former Mayor William “Bill” Lewarne, conducted by Rod Fowler. Bill Lewarne was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is mainly about Bill Lewarne’s business and political careers, and memories of growing up in South Burnaby in the 1930s. Bill Lewarne talks about his parent’s origins, his family and community struggles during the Depression, the interurban, his education, war service, and joining his father's business. He describes the start, operation and expansion of the family ice cream business, and how business life compared to political life. The interview explores the role of politics in community affairs, his political activities, the history of the BVA, and his involvement in various community organizations. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track, expand this description and see “Notes”.
Biographical Notes
William Alfred “Bill” Lewarne was born in Burnaby in 1926 to Ethel Cecilia Leer (1899- ) and Alfred Lewarne (1893-1962). The family, Ethel, Alfred and their three children Patricia, Beverley and William, moved to a house on Nelson Avenue in Alta Vista in 1931. Ethel still lived in the family home in 1990. Bill Lewarne attended Nelson Avenue School and South Burnaby High School (1932-1944). His father Alfred worked at Colony Farms as a dairy inspector and then for the Port of Vancouver Dairy before being laid off early in the Depression. The family struggled until in 1936 Alfred started his own ice cream business. After graduation Bill was in the army for two years, taking a refrigeration course under the veteran’s training benefit, before joining his father’s business. Three generations of the family operated the successful company, expanding from wholesale, retail and distribution of ice cream products into refrigerated warehouses and the wholesale ice business, until the business was sold to its competitor Dairyland in 1989. Bill Lewarne entered politics in 1965, first with the Nonpartisan Association (NPA) and then as a founder of the Burnaby Citizens Association (BCA). He served as an alderman on Burnaby Council 1973-1975 and 1977-1981 and as Mayor 1981-1987. In 1979 he ran for provincial office for the Social Credit Party against Rosemary Brown but lost.
Bill Lewarne married June Lawrence and they had three children Robert, Leslie and Janice. He was active in many organizations: Burnaby/Willingdon Liberal Association, Seton Villa, Irish Fusileers of Canada, Lions Club, Rotary Club, Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion, and the Burnaby Hospital Foundation, and continued to be active on the Board of the BCA. Bill Lewarne died in 1995.
Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and business computerization in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.
Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.
Series consists of records related to CFF, Tommy Douglas, the Century Park Museum Association, Burnaby Advisory Planning Commission, NDP, and Elections BC.
Series consists of records related to CFF, Tommy Douglas, the Century Park Museum Association, Burnaby Advisory Planning Commission, NDP, and Elections BC.
Photograph of "Friends of the Carousel" Chairman Don Wrigley, Burnaby Mayor William J. "Bill" Copeland and other dignitaries gathered together at the sod turning ceremony for the carousel building at Burnaby Village Museum. Dignitaries are identified as; Burnaby Mayor William J. Copeland (third fro…
Photograph of "Friends of the Carousel" Chairman Don Wrigley, Burnaby Mayor William J. "Bill" Copeland and other dignitaries gathered together at the sod turning ceremony for the carousel building at Burnaby Village Museum. Dignitaries are identified as; Burnaby Mayor William J. Copeland (third from left), "Friends of the Carousel" Chairman Don Wrigley (fourth from left), Burnaby-Douglas Member of Parliament (MP) Svend Robinson (second from right) and Burnaby-Willingdon Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Joan Sawicki (far right). The building opened in March 1993 and was named the "Friends of the Carousel" Chairman Don Wrigley Pavilion.
Photograph of group of dignitaries standing on stage during the opening ceremonies for the 1912 Burnaby Centennial Parker Carousel (C.W. Parker no. 119 carousel) and Don Wrigley Pavillion at the Burnaby Village Museum. Officials on stage are identified from left to right as; NDP Member of Legislat…
Photograph of group of dignitaries standing on stage during the opening ceremonies for the 1912 Burnaby Centennial Parker Carousel (C.W. Parker no. 119 carousel) and Don Wrigley Pavillion at the Burnaby Village Museum. Officials on stage are identified from left to right as; NDP Member of Legislative Assembly Joan Sawicki; British Columbia Member of Parliament Svend Robinson; Parks and Recreation Commissioner Dan Johnston; Red Robinson and Burnaby Mayor William J. Copeland.
Sticker on verso of accompanying contact sheet reads: "Kallberg / Kent Kallberg Studios Ltd. / Studio & Commercial Photography / 1138 Homer Street, Vancouver / Canada V6B 2X6 / Studio (604) 689-5115 / Fax: (604) 685-6886 / FILE: BURNABY VILLAGE MUSEUM / EVENT CAROUSEL OPENING / DATE: SAT 27th MAR 1993 / ROLL # 1"
Photograph of British Columbia Member of Parliament Svend Robinson speaking from a podium during the opening ceremonies for the 1912 Burnaby Centennial Parker Carousel (C.W. Parker no. 119 carousel) and Don Wrigley Pavillion at the Burnaby Village Museum.
Photograph of British Columbia Member of Parliament Svend Robinson speaking from a podium during the opening ceremonies for the 1912 Burnaby Centennial Parker Carousel (C.W. Parker no. 119 carousel) and Don Wrigley Pavillion at the Burnaby Village Museum.
Sticker on verso of accompanying contact sheet reads: "Kallberg / Kent Kallberg Studios Ltd. / Studio & Commercial Photography / 1138 Homer Street, Vancouver / Canada V6B 2X6 / Studio (604) 689-5115 / Fax: (604) 685-6886 / FILE: BURNABY VILLAGE MUSEUM / EVENT CAROUSEL OPENING / DATE: SAT 27th MAR 1993 / ROLL # 1"
Photograph of NDP Member of Legislative Assembly Joan Sawicki delivering a speech from the podium during the opening ceremonies for the 1912 Burnaby Centennial Parker Carousel (C.W. Parker no. 119 carousel) and Don Wrigley Pavillion at the Burnaby Village Museum.
Photograph of NDP Member of Legislative Assembly Joan Sawicki delivering a speech from the podium during the opening ceremonies for the 1912 Burnaby Centennial Parker Carousel (C.W. Parker no. 119 carousel) and Don Wrigley Pavillion at the Burnaby Village Museum.
Photograph of Svend Robinson, Alexa McDonough, Lorne Nystrom and a fourth unidentified man at the federal New Democratic Party (NDP) leadership election.
Photograph of Svend Robinson, Alexa McDonough, Lorne Nystrom and a fourth unidentified man at the federal New Democratic Party (NDP) leadership election.
Photograph of Liberal leader Gordon Campbell (later British Columbia Premier) with Burnaby-Willingon candidate John Nuraney and two unidentified women.
Photograph of Liberal leader Gordon Campbell (later British Columbia Premier) with Burnaby-Willingon candidate John Nuraney and two unidentified women.
Photograph of Investment minister and New Democratic Party (NDP) hopeful Glen Clark (later British Columbia Premier) in a bulldozer, breaking ground at the construction site of the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on Highway 1 in Burnaby.
Photograph of Investment minister and New Democratic Party (NDP) hopeful Glen Clark (later British Columbia Premier) in a bulldozer, breaking ground at the construction site of the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on Highway 1 in Burnaby.
Photograph of British Columbia Liberal leader Gordon Campbell (later British Columbia Premier) at a media conference in Burnaby announcing the release of his party's "red book" of election promises.
Photograph of British Columbia Liberal leader Gordon Campbell (later British Columbia Premier) at a media conference in Burnaby announcing the release of his party's "red book" of election promises.
Photograph of Burnaby-Kingsway MP Svend Robinson sampling cheeses with Rino Cioffi, owner of Cioffi's Meat Market and Deli on Hastings Street in Burnaby.
Photograph of Burnaby-Kingsway MP Svend Robinson sampling cheeses with Rino Cioffi, owner of Cioffi's Meat Market and Deli on Hastings Street in Burnaby.
Photograph of Christy Clark (later British Columbia premier) and Liberal leader Gordon Campbell (later British Columbia premier) on the campaign trail. Supporters are holding campaign signs in the background.
Photograph of Christy Clark (later British Columbia premier) and Liberal leader Gordon Campbell (later British Columbia premier) on the campaign trail. Supporters are holding campaign signs in the background.