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.
Photographs of an undeveloped property located at 8980 Fraserwood Court. A Sutton Group real estate sign on the property advertises the site as the Fraserwood Corporate Centre with strata warehouse and office flex space. File also contains photographs of the commerical building adjacent to the si…
Photographs of an undeveloped property located at 8980 Fraserwood Court. A Sutton Group real estate sign on the property advertises the site as the Fraserwood Corporate Centre with strata warehouse and office flex space. File also contains photographs of the commerical building adjacent to the site.
Photograph of a newly constructed house with land clearing debris and labourers working in the yard. A sign on the house reads; "Anderson and Phillips Builders", although the location and the specific individuals are unidentified (items no. 487-022 and 487-032 depict this house completed).
Emulsion measures 11 x 15.5 cm on the glass; entire glass plate measures 12 x 16 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
487-029
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2008-18
Scope and Content
Photograph of a newly constructed house with land clearing debris and labourers working in the yard. A sign on the house reads; "Anderson and Phillips Builders", although the location and the specific individuals are unidentified (items no. 487-022 and 487-032 depict this house completed).
Photograph of cleared land at Gilmore Avenue and Douglas Road. Houses under construction can be seen in the background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Photograph of cleared land at Gilmore Avenue and Douglas Road. Houses under construction can be seen in the background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Photograph of Gilmore Avenue and Kitchener Street with cleared land and the beginning of house construction. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Photograph of Gilmore Avenue and Kitchener Street with cleared land and the beginning of house construction. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Photograph of a house in a clearing just on the outskirts of densely wooded area. There is a wooden fence around the property, and in front of the house is a dirt road. There are small piles of logs along the road side. An earlier catalogue record identifies this house as the Haszard house that was…
Photograph of a house in a clearing just on the outskirts of densely wooded area. There is a wooden fence around the property, and in front of the house is a dirt road. There are small piles of logs along the road side. An earlier catalogue record identifies this house as the Haszard house that was located across the street from the property of the Sprott Farm. The photograph was taken from Douglas Road (later renamed in part Canada Way). It is also noted that the Sprott family lived in the Haszard house while their home, named "Dovecote" was being completed.
This portion of the interview is about Reidun Seim talking about her father’s immigration to the USA in 1904 at age 16, his return to Norway and marrying Martine, her parents emigration from Norway to Vancouver in 1930, her father’s purchase of an acre of land on Curtis Street and building a two ro…
This portion of the interview is about Reidun Seim talking about her father’s immigration to the USA in 1904 at age 16, his return to Norway and marrying Martine, her parents emigration from Norway to Vancouver in 1930, her father’s purchase of an acre of land on Curtis Street and building a two room house for the family, Reidun’s birth in 1931, and the family’s move to Curtis Street in 1932. She talks about her childhood memories of playing on a big stump and cedar log in the yard.
Recording is of an interview with Reidun Seim conducted by Kathy Bossort. Reidun Seim was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about Reidun Seim’s memories about her parent’s farm on Curtis Street, events in her childhood, and the people who lived in or visited her neighborhood. She takes us on a tour of her neighborhood in the 1940s, telling us stories about families who lived on Curtis Street on and east of 7300 block, including people who lived on Burnaby Mountain in the old Hastings Grove subdivision above the end of municipal water service at Philips Avenue. She describes changes to Curtis Street, particularly after it provided access to Simon Fraser University in 1965. She also talks about her teaching career, and about how she values the green space and conservation area on Burnaby Mountain.
Biographical Notes
Reidun Seim was born in 1931 in Vancouver B.C. to Sjur and Martine Seim. Sjur and Martine Seim emigrated to Canada from Norway in 1930, and after settling in Vancouver, moved to an acre of land and a new home at the base of Burnaby Mountain in 1932. Sjur attended UBC to learn about poultry farming and began his own chicken and egg business in 1935. The farm animals and large garden also contributed to the family’s livelihood and self-sufficiency. The Curtis Street neighborhood was a lively place and extended well up Curtis Street on the west slope of Burnaby Mountain, where Reidun would babysit for families. Reidun attended Sperling Avenue Elementary School (Gr. 1-8), Burnaby North High School, and Vancouver Normal School for teacher training in 1950-1951. She began teaching primary grades in Port Coquitlam at James Park School. Most of her career was spent in North Delta, teaching at Kennedy and Annieville schools from 1954-1958, appointed Primary Consultant (1958-1960) and Primary Supervisor (1960-1985), before retiring in 1986. Reidun lived at home with her parents on Curtis Street, commuting to Delta, and continues to live in the original farmhouse.
Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.
Photograph of the 4200 block of Kitchener Street as cleared land. House construction can be seen in the background on the left. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Photograph of the 4200 block of Kitchener Street as cleared land. House construction can be seen in the background on the left. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Photograph of land clearing machines at 4124 Napier Street. Partially constructed houses and lumber are visible, and a sign on the side of a bulldozer reads "Holmes and Wilson Trucking." This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Photograph of land clearing machines at 4124 Napier Street. Partially constructed houses and lumber are visible, and a sign on the side of a bulldozer reads "Holmes and Wilson Trucking." This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Photograph of the Leer family. From left to right: Richard Hedges, George Leer, Sarah Leer, and Ethel Leer. George Leer and his wife would be grandparents of Mayor William Lewarne. This photograph was taken in front of the Leer family home at Portland Street and McGregor Avenue.
Photograph of the Leer family. From left to right: Richard Hedges, George Leer, Sarah Leer, and Ethel Leer. George Leer and his wife would be grandparents of Mayor William Lewarne. This photograph was taken in front of the Leer family home at Portland Street and McGregor Avenue.
Photograph of Madison Avenue (east) with the road and cleared land in the foreground, and houses in the background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Photograph of Madison Avenue (east) with the road and cleared land in the foreground, and houses in the background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Photograph of Madison Avenue (southeast) with the road and cleared land in the foreground, and houses in the background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Photograph of Madison Avenue (southeast) with the road and cleared land in the foreground, and houses in the background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Photograph of the 4200 block of Kitchener Street at Madison Avenue with cleared land and brush in foreground, and a bulldozer, lumber and houses under construction in background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.
Photograph of the 4200 block of Kitchener Street at Madison Avenue with cleared land and brush in foreground, and a bulldozer, lumber and houses under construction in background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.