In 1911, a brick building was built to replace the smaller wooden structure that had served as Burnaby's Municipal Hall since 1899. This new, larger structure was built to reflect Burnaby's growth into a large suburban municipality and remained in use for over 40 years. The old Municipal Hall became a public hall which was demolished upon the construction of the Edmonds Branch of the Burnaby Public Library in 1962. The second Municipal Hall was renovated in 1956 (when the current City Hall was built at Canada Way), and was used as a Police building. In 1966 after the construction of the new Justice Building, the old 1911 Municipal Hall was left vacant and in 1970 it was demolished. The site was redeveloped as a senior citizens residential centre with Edmonds House built on the old hall location.
Byrne Creek School opened in 2005 and accommodates students from grades 8 through 12. When built, the school was created to house as many as 1200 students, but by 2009, plans have been prepared to increase that capacity to 1500.
After a lull in construction during the World War I period, East Burnaby Neighbourhood's growth resumed during the 1920s when many homes and businesses were constructed. The post-World War Two period also saw rapid construction and the creation of new housing developments in response to a population boom. The neighbourhood remained a primarily single-family residential area.
The historic growth of Edmonds as a neighbourhood was based on its strategic location on the early interurban line between Vancouver and New Westminster. Even by 1980 when a survey of the residential neighbourhoods was conducted, a full 25% of homes in the area predated 1930. The 1950s was a period of strong housing development, with both single-family and multi-family units being constructed. Although Burnaby's City Hall was moved from Kingsway and Edmonds in the early 1950s, Edmonds remained an important centre in the community.
The Mary England Residence is a one and one-half storey, wood-frame, Period Revival cottage with a steeply pitched, cross-gabled roof. Situated on Griffiths Drive within the Edmonds neighbourhood of Burnaby, the Mary England Residence has an original attached garage.
The Mary England Residence is a one and one-half storey, wood-frame, Period Revival cottage with a steeply pitched, cross-gabled roof. Situated on Griffiths Drive within the Edmonds neighbourhood of Burnaby, the Mary England Residence has an original attached garage.
Heritage Value
The Mary England Residence, built in 1930, is valued as a representation of the period revival styles that were popular in the era between the two World Wars. At this time, it was considered the height of fashion for a house to reflect historical styles, even when combined in an eclectic manner, that expressed a domestic ideal of cozy traditionalism. The Mary England Residence is an exuberant example of this trend. Half-timbering, multi-paned and leaded casement windows and a steeply pitched, cross-gabled roof impart a storybook cottage charm. Its first owner, Mary England, was employed for several years as stenographer at the old Burnaby Municipal Hall. An original attached garage is evidence of the growing presence of automobiles in domestic life of the 1930s.
Additionally, the Mary England Residence is a testament to the continued suburban growth of the Edmonds neighbourhood. During the Edwardian era, the area experienced a housing boom. Its proximity to New Westminster, coupled with its regional transportation links, made it an attractive area for middle-class residences. Despite the economic recession of the 1930s, the Edmonds area continued to develop with modest but handsome housing.
Defining Elements
Key elements that define the heritage character of the Mary England Residence:
- location, in the Edmonds neighbourhood of East Burnaby
- residential form, scale and massing as expressed by its one and one-half storey height with full basement, rectangular plan and steeply pitched cross-gabled roof
- Period Revival elements such as rough-cast stucco, half-timbering, minimal eave overhangs, arched entry with glazed wooden front door, and arched-top feature window
- mixture of windows including: double-hung, multi-paned wooden sash windows in double assembly; 6-over-1 double-hung wooden sash windows in multiple assembly; multi-paned casement windows; and straight-leaded feature windows
- external parged chimney and two internal chimneys
- attached front-gabled garage
- associated landscape features including mature deciduous trees and fruit trees
The years 1911-1912 saw great expansion and settlement in Burnaby and large public works projects were undertaken to service the growing community. One project that was determined to be a necessity was the construction of a proper highway between New Westminster and Vancouver. The Province and the Municipality agreed to share the costs of construction (with Burnaby paying 25% and the Province 75%) and so Kingsway was built to improve the current Vancouver Road. The road was named after the famous King's Way in London, England.
The interurban link between New Westminster and Vancouver stimulated the early settlement of Stride Avenue. Infilling of the area took place in the early 1950s and the pace of development had slowed considerably by 1970. Duplexes became a popular feature in the decade between 1970 and 1980 and in the late 1980s, the neighbourhood was incorporated into the Edmonds Town Centre South plan.
The Stride Avenue School takes its name from the street which had been named after Eber Stride, Burnaby Councillor from 1894-1913. The school opened in 1929 as a two-classroom building although additions were made in 1949, 1953, 1957, 1964, 1969 and 1973.
This small Edwardian-era bungalow home was built and owned by Burnaby resident Jane Sincock (1848-1940) and her husband Thomas Sincock (1844-1916) as an investment rental property. By 1916, the couple was living in New Westminster, on Bole Street, where Jane, who was born in Cornwall, remained until her death. This substantial bungalow is distinguished by its bellcast hipped roof and dormers, an octagonal corner bay, and a small front verandah supported by square tapered columns. The house retains its original lapped wooden siding though the windows have been replaced.
The street we know as Kingsway is one of the legacies of the Royal Engineers' military defences for New Westminster. The fear of an American attack prompted the construction of the False Creek trail - later known as Vancouver Road and now Kingsway - in 1860 to connect the capital city to the ice-free salt water harbour at English Bay.
Photograph of the view of the new 10th Avenue connector from Gord Thorneycroft's garage. Thorneycroft holds a mug and is silhouetted by the light coming from outside, where the Bombardier SkyTrain plant is visible in the distance.
Photograph of the view of the new 10th Avenue connector from Gord Thorneycroft's garage. Thorneycroft holds a mug and is silhouetted by the light coming from outside, where the Bombardier SkyTrain plant is visible in the distance.
Collected by editorial for use in a February 2002 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Gord Thorneycroft says he used to be able to enjoy his morning coffee looking out onto a quiet, tree-lined lane while working in his garage behind his home on 9th Ave. But workers building the new 10th Ave. connector tore out the trees last September, the City of Burnaby isn't making any promises to erect noise barriers, and his lane has become a thoroughfare to the Bombardier Skytrain plant."
Photographs of commercial and undeveloped properties located in the 7100 block of Kingsway, including Middlegate Honda, with mid-rise towers visible in the background.
Photographs of commercial and undeveloped properties located in the 7100 block of Kingsway, including Middlegate Honda, with mid-rise towers visible in the background.
Sticky note adhere to 622-062-8 print reads: "3 / View west along Kingsway"
Sticky note adhered to 622-062-12 print reads: "5 / View northwest across the site from Beresford Street"
Sticky note adhered to 622-062-16 print reads: "4 . View [illegible] along to Beresford Ave. right of way at the southeast corner of the [illegible] site"
Sticky note adhered to 622-062-20 print reads: "6 / View east along Beresford Street at Greenford Avenue"
Sticky note adhered to 622-062-24 print reads: "7 / View north along Greenford Avenue"
Sticky note adhered to 622-062-28 print reads: "8 / View northeast across the site from Grenford Avenue"
Sticky note adhered to 622-062-32 print reads: "2 / View east along Kingsway past subject site"
Photographs of three single-storey houses located at 7131-7143 18th Avenue (addresses that no longer exist) with a high-rise condominium in the background. 7131-7143 18th Avenue are now 7139 18th Avenue. The condominium in the distance is located at 7108 Edmonds Avenue.
Photographs of three single-storey houses located at 7131-7143 18th Avenue (addresses that no longer exist) with a high-rise condominium in the background. 7131-7143 18th Avenue are now 7139 18th Avenue. The condominium in the distance is located at 7108 Edmonds Avenue.
Photograph of a white, single-storey house located at 7143 18th Avenue - an address that no longer exists. The current address of the property is 7139 18th Avenue.
Photograph of a white, single-storey house located at 7143 18th Avenue - an address that no longer exists. The current address of the property is 7139 18th Avenue.