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.
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
Photograph of uniformed soldiers scattered on a field around the Vimy Ridge monument in France. The soldier marked with an "X" is Frank Battersby (who has stopped to wait while "Tommy" lights his pipe).
Photograph of uniformed soldiers scattered on a field around the Vimy Ridge monument in France. The soldier marked with an "X" is Frank Battersby (who has stopped to wait while "Tommy" lights his pipe).
Photograph of New Westminster World War One memorial cenotaph with bronze statue of soldier. The memorial is located in a park in Leopold Place and was later moved to the northerly approach to the Patullo bridge and in 1954 to New Westminster City Hall.
Photograph of New Westminster World War One memorial cenotaph with bronze statue of soldier. The memorial is located in a park in Leopold Place and was later moved to the northerly approach to the Patullo bridge and in 1954 to New Westminster City Hall.
Photograph of World War I veteran Charlie Perkins watching as a "woodsman's saw" cuts down the tree that originally had been spared when the Port Mann freeway was built around it. (Charlie Perkins had planted ivy around the tree in 1920 as a memorial to his fallen comrades in the Royal Canadian Air…
Photograph of World War I veteran Charlie Perkins watching as a "woodsman's saw" cuts down the tree that originally had been spared when the Port Mann freeway was built around it. (Charlie Perkins had planted ivy around the tree in 1920 as a memorial to his fallen comrades in the Royal Canadian Air Force). A photograph of Charlie Perkins was collaged onto photograph of tree being felled, and then re-photographed to create this seamless montaged photograph.
Photograph of Constable George Jeffery (left) during 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. At the right is Dora Wilcox, daughter of Ernest Wilcox who wa…
Photograph of Constable George Jeffery (left) during 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. At the right is Dora Wilcox, daughter of Ernest Wilcox who was killed on the Somme in 1916. She unveiled the fountain. In 1974, this memorial was relocated from its original setting to the site of the Burnaby Village Museum on Deer Lake Avenue.
Photograph of the First World War Honour Roll dedication at the former Municipal Hall at Edmonds and Kingsway. The intention of this memorial was to "keep the record bright before the people of the municipality". At the conclusion of this war over 1,200 names of service men and women were listed in…
Photograph of the First World War Honour Roll dedication at the former Municipal Hall at Edmonds and Kingsway. The intention of this memorial was to "keep the record bright before the people of the municipality". At the conclusion of this war over 1,200 names of service men and women were listed including over 90 "Heroic Dead" who paid the "ultimate sacrifice".
Photograph of a large crowd of people gathered outside Burnaby Municipal Hall for the dedication of the War Memorial Fountain, which is now located in the Burnaby Village Museum site. To the left of the photograph, located on the lawn of the Municipal Hall, is the memorial fountain, with a wreath h…
Photograph of a large crowd of people gathered outside Burnaby Municipal Hall for the dedication of the War Memorial Fountain, which is now located in the Burnaby Village Museum site. To the left of the photograph, located on the lawn of the Municipal Hall, is the memorial fountain, with a wreath hanging on the top.
The photographer is speculated to be Stride studio, because of the similarity with the photograph BV985.3137.7 of the War Memorial Fountain dedication by Stride studio
Photographs of the War Memorial Fountain located on the lawn of Burnaby Municipal Hall, during its dedication ceremony. There is a large crowd of people gathered around the fountain, with boys in scout uniforms standing to the right of the fountain, and ladies and RCMP officers standing to the left…
inscribed in the original negative, and printed on the photograph, l.r. "Stride Photo"
Scope and Content
Photographs of the War Memorial Fountain located on the lawn of Burnaby Municipal Hall, during its dedication ceremony. There is a large crowd of people gathered around the fountain, with boys in scout uniforms standing to the right of the fountain, and ladies and RCMP officers standing to the left side of the fountain. There is a man standing next to the fountain, blowing on a trumpet. There is a wreath hanging from the top of the fountain, which bears the inscription, "OF OUR FELLOW WORKERS WHO FELL IN THE WAR/ 1914-1918/ ERECTED BY/ THE CIVIC EMPLOYEES UNION - BURNABY - 1923"
The War Memorial Fountain is now located in the Burnaby Village Museum site.
Photograph of the dedication of Burnaby's Honour Roll at Burnaby Municipal Hall, Edmonds and Kingsway. A crowd is gathered inside the hall looking toward a decorated stage on which is the honour roll and group of men.
Photograph of the dedication of Burnaby's Honour Roll at Burnaby Municipal Hall, Edmonds and Kingsway. A crowd is gathered inside the hall looking toward a decorated stage on which is the honour roll and group of men.
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.
Photograph of the exterior of Municipal Hall at Kingsway and Edmonds Street. A sign above the door reads, "Municipal Hall / Burnaby." The First World War memorial fountain, dedicated to Municipal employees who died in the War, can be seen on the left. In 1974, this memorial was relocated from i…
Photograph of the exterior of Municipal Hall at Kingsway and Edmonds Street. A sign above the door reads, "Municipal Hall / Burnaby." The First World War memorial fountain, dedicated to Municipal employees who died in the War, can be seen on the left. In 1974, this memorial was relocated from its original setting to the site of the Burnaby Village Museum on Deer Lake Avenue.
Photograph of a close-up of the North Burnaby cenotaph in Confederation Park, with two veterans in uniform standing in the background as part of a Remembrance Day ceremony.
Photograph of a close-up of the North Burnaby cenotaph in Confederation Park, with two veterans in uniform standing in the background as part of a Remembrance Day ceremony.
Collected by editorial for use in a November 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Brian Simpson, who served in the engine room of the HMCS Sioux during the Korean War, and Reg O'Dell, a driving and drill instructor for the occupation forces in Germany in WWII, pause to reflect on fallen comrades, at the cenotaph in Confederation Park."
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…
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.
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 …
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 its original setting to the site of the Burnaby Village Museum on Deer Lake Avenue.
Photograph of an unidentified brick building. It is possibly an armory. The building is fenced and there is a war memorial in the forefront of the image.
"201" stamped on back. There is also an illegible printer's stamp in purple ink on the back.
Scope and Content
Photograph of an unidentified brick building. It is possibly an armory. The building is fenced and there is a war memorial in the forefront of the image.