Arrow Neon Sign
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Other Names
- Lost in the 50's Drive-in
- Geographic Access
- Edmonds Street
- Associated Dates
- 1961
- Description
- Commercial building.
- Heritage Value
- The Arrow Neon Sign was built in 1961 by the Neonette Sign Company of New Westminster when this property was opened as the Tomahawk Drive-in Restaurant. The restaurant was later known as Lindy's Burger and in 1990, the business was renamed Lost in the 50's Drive-in. It stands 20-foot tall and is composed of a large double-sided hollow steel panel serpentine arrow mounted on a pole supporting a lexan sign panel measuring approximately 8 feet wide by 4 feet tall. The sign was designed with three illuminated features: a round lamp at the top of the pole, a double-sided rectangular fluorescent sign panel box, and two double-sided rows of orange neon arrows that follow the large serpentine arrow.
The Arrow Neon Sign remains as a rare surviving example of neon sign art in the city and is the only historic neon sign in South Burnaby. The sign has gained prominence over the years as it has been associated with this small iconic drive-in which has also been utilized as a set for film production. Additionally, the drive-in has played a prominent role in the Edmonds community as a popular setting for recent "Show and Shine" participants to park their classic cars.
- Locality
- Edmonds
- Historic Neighbourhood
- East Burnaby (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Lakeview-Mayfield Area
- Builder
- Neonette Sign Company
- Community
- Burnaby
- Contributing Resource
- Structure
- Ownership
- Public (local)
- Subjects
- Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants
- Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards
- Street Address
- 7741 Edmonds Street
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
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Helen 'The Swinging Girl' Neon Sign
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Description
- Commercial building.
- Associated Dates
- 1956
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Other Names
- Helen's Childrens Wear Sign
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Other Names
- Helen's Childrens Wear Sign
- Geographic Access
- Hastings Street
- Associated Dates
- 1956
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Enactment Type
- Bylaw No. 12771
- Enactment Date
- 19/04/2010
- Description
- Commercial building.
- Heritage Value
- While the building here is of some importance as the former North Burnaby municipal office, its primary importance is its delightful neon sign that has become a North Burnaby landmark. Helen Arnold opened Helen’s Childrens Wear shop in the building next door to the old Municipal offices in 1948. In 1955, when North Burnaby moved out, she moved into the vacated building. As part of the renovations, Helen enlisted the assistance of her good friend Jimmy Wallace, owner of Vancouver’s Wallace Neon Company, to create a new sign for her expanded business. One of the company’s designers, Reeve Lehman, created the swinging neon girl that was installed in 1956. Designed in two parts, one section of the sign is cloud shaped and reads ‘Helen’s’ while the other section is a moving representation of a little girl on a swing. The sign is nine feet six inches high and nine feet wide, and the lower section is animated with an internal motor and gears. It immediately became a landmark on Hastings Street, and recently the sign’s design fame has spread far and wide as one of the best surviving examples of kinetic neon art in North America.
- Locality
- Vancouver Heights
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Willingdon Heights Area
- Community
- Burnaby
- Names
- Helen's Childrens Wear
- Subjects
- Buildings - Commercial - Stores
- Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards
- Street Address
- 4142 Hastings Street
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
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BC Hydro Railway Crossing
Canadian Pacific Railway emblem
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [between 1930 and 1949]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 5.5 x 8 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the sign on the back of train a car gate. The sign is circular in shape with a "Canadian Pacific Railway Lines" emblem in the center bordered by the words " - Chinook - Calgary -Edmonton."
plaque
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- BV994.38.1
- Description
- Plaque. Badge shaped, made of ply-wooden, the background is painted yellow/tan and the lettering is black.
- Object History
- The plaque commemorates the history of the British Columbia Electric Railway in Burnaby, and the preservation of tram #1223 by the Burnaby Historical Society in 1958. Interurban tram No. 1223 has been restored by the joint efforts of the Friends of 1223 and Burnaby Village Museum. In March 2007 the tram was officially returned to Burnaby Village Museum and is currently on display, in a replica of a Tram Car Barn, at the Museum.
- Fraser Wilson hand lettered the sign.
- Marks/Labels
- "This Interurban Tram Car was built in 1913 by the St. Louis Car Co. for the British Columbia Electric Railway Co. and operated over that company's three lines in Burnaby until abandonment, November 1956. Throughout the nearly fifty years of its existence this tram and seventy similar cars carried many thousands of settlers and commuters and helped to build Burnaby into a thriving community of over 80,000"; "Dedicated and placed here by Burnaby Historical Society. Nov. 30th 1958", hand lettered.
- Subjects
- Transportation
- Transportation - Public Transit
- Transportation - Electric Railroads
- Advertising Medium
- Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards
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advertisement
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- BV997.47.5
- Description
- Robertson's Chocolates - Advertising Card. Advertising card for Robertson's Chocolates. Black and white photograph of two children at a small table sampling chocolates. There is a small dog standing on the table. There is a caption at the bottom of the photograph "Where Do I Come In?". The clothing of the children has been colour tinted with a light blue. On the back of the card is "Rotary Photo. England" and pencilled in is "$3.00 FC Mar 7391". The card measures 8.5cm x 13.5cm.
- Object History
- Donor purchased objects from various collectors and antique retailers between 1993 and 1997.
- Subjects
- Documentary Artifacts
- Documentary Artifacts - Labels
- Advertising Medium
- Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards
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