During the height of the real estate boom between 1909 and 1913, Vancouver developer Frederick Munson plotted the subdivision of more than 150 acres of land on Curtis Street east of Sperling Avenue, on the newly logged slopes of remote Burnaby Mountain. Burnaby opened up Curtis Street to facilitate access to Hastings Grove and Munson agreed to pay one-third of the cost but never did. He also paid only $1000.00 down on the agreed price of the land. When he failed to make further payments, the mortgage holders foreclosed and re-sold the properties. People who had bought lots from Munson lost not only the land they though they owned, but also the money they had paid for it. Hastings Grove was a disaster. The converted automobile - which served as the bus - stopped running. The few houses and most of the lots reverted to the Municipality because of non-payment of taxes and are now part of Burnaby Mountain Park. The only remaining building is the old Hastings Grove Store which still stands as an apartment building.
The Lochdale Community Hall is a one-storey wood-frame building located on Sperling Avenue, near its intersection with Hastings Street, in the centre of the Lochdale district in North Burnaby. Built in stages, its current configuration has an L-shaped plan, with three different roof structures.
The Lochdale Community Hall is a one-storey wood-frame building located on Sperling Avenue, near its intersection with Hastings Street, in the centre of the Lochdale district in North Burnaby. Built in stages, its current configuration has an L-shaped plan, with three different roof structures.
Heritage Value
The heritage value of the Lochdale Community Hall is as Burnaby’s last remaining early community hall building. It was constructed with volunteer labour and donated materials in 1925 through the efforts of the Lochdale Social Club. The Hall is a valuable reminder of the way in which early communities banded together for mutual support at a time when transportation was more difficult and local communities were more isolated than today.
This residents’ association has used this building to support the community through public political meetings, theatre, dinners and dances, creating strong community ties in North Burnaby. The Hall was also used briefly for the services of St. Margaret of Scotland Anglican parish until their church was completed in 1929, demonstrating a spirit of community cooperation at a time when local institutions were being established in the area.
Defining Elements
Key elements that define the heritage character of the Lochdale Community Hall include its:
- central location in the Lochdale community
- modest vernacular architecture and massing
- stepped-pitch gable roof of the main hall
- shallow-pitched gable roof of the entrance porch
- Craftsman style eave brackets
- central front entry
- interior features such as the main open hall with an elevated stage
In the 1931 "Burnaby Year Book" the Lochdale neighbourhood is described as follows: "Lochdale…is situated at the intersection of the Hastings-Barnet road at the point where Sperling Avenue crosses…Situated at the intersection…there are an up to date service station and a general store, at which the Lochdale Post Office is situated. Immediately north of this is the seventy acres on which the Shell Oil Co. are to build an up-to-date refinery...On going south on Sperling Avenue can be found some lovely homes of the residents, all of which possess the most beautiful flower gardens, some of which are hobbies, and some being in the nature of a business. Others are engaged in chicken farming...while others find employment at the Barnet Mill about two miles east on the Hastings-Barnet Road."
"Picturesquely situated on the south-westerly slope of the highest hill on the Burrard Peninsula is a district that in many ways resembles the early pioneer settlements…its centre is at the intersection of east Hastings Street and Sperling Avenue. Only a few years ago a dense forest covered this area and the settlers were few and some distance apart. After the war working men began to enter the Lochdale woods in quest of cheap home-sites. Today there are more than 400 residents in the district who combine to make a happy contented industrious community living on the edge of a big city yet enjoying the life offered by the country...The Community Hall is the centre of all social activities. Dances, concerts and other forms of entertainment are all there...Curtis Street runs from Sperling Avenue up to the hill, locally known as Hastings Grove. From the top on a clear day there is a view for miles around." ~ From the Sunday Province, March 8, 1925.
Despite the rapid growth witnessed in Burnaby in the post-war years, the Lochdale Neighbourhood was characterised as a close-knit primarily residential community. Although a commercial zone developed along Sperling and Hastings, single-family, duplex and multi-family homes were the primary buildings in the area. Basement suites and student accommodation also flourished in this neighbourhood after the creation of Simon Fraser University on Burnaby Mountain.
Lochdale Community School was opened in 1953 to help alleviate the increased enrolment at Sperling Elementary School caused by the new subdivisions under construction in this section of Burnaby. Lochdale was typical of the schools built at the period with classrooms constructed in a line, as close as possible to ground level. As needed, new classrooms were extended in a line and there were additions to Lochdale in 1962, 1964, 1966, 1971 and 1976.
The road currently known as Sperling Avenue was originally the "Pole Line Road" - so named because it served as the route for a power transmission line to connect the Buntzen Lake Power Plant to the Burnaby sub-station at Griffiths Avenue in 1905. It was named after Rochfort Henry Sperling, the Superintendant of the B.C.E.R. Company. The B.C. Electric Railway contracted Herbert Gilley to open the Pole Line Road from Hastings to Johnston Road, as Gilley Brothers were already actively logging the area.
This portion of the recording includes Alfred Bingham's memories of constructing a mill for Simpson & Giberson and of working on homes for himself, Angus McLean and Percy Little in the Lochdale area. He discusses the strike at Barnet mill and reads an essay written by Grace E. Carpenter. Land clear…
This portion of the recording includes Alfred Bingham's memories of constructing a mill for Simpson & Giberson and of working on homes for himself, Angus McLean and Percy Little in the Lochdale area. He discusses the strike at Barnet mill and reads an essay written by Grace E. Carpenter. Land clearing is described in detail. Alfred also relates a story from 1920 involving early settlers E. Powell and J. Amos.
Recording is of Alfred Bingham's writings, as read by Alfred Bingham. Major themes discussed are: Pioneers, early days in Burnaby and the Co-op Movement. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".
Biographical Notes
Alfred "Alf" Bingham was born in England in 1892 and moved to Canada in 1912. His first job in Canada was laying track for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR) from Edmonton to McBride in 1912. His second was in Vancouver at the Rat Portage Mill on False Creek, working on the Resaw machine. He quit after one week due to poor working conditions.
After taking part in the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike as a delegate of the Retail and Mailorder Union (A.F.L.) on the Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council, Alfred moved to Burnaby where he and fellow Burnaby residents Aungus McLean and Percy Little worked ten hour days to build a Shingle Mill on the edge of Burnaby Lake for Simpson & Giberson. George Green, carpenter and millwright (author of “The History of Burnaby”) also helped in the construction of the mill. Alfred built his own home from lumber cut from the mill in the Lochdale area on Sherlock Street between Curtis Street and Kitchener Street.
On April 10, 1920 Alfred married Mary Jane “Ada” Reynolds. Alfred and Ada often took in foster children during their marriage. Due to her nursing experience, Ada was often called upon to deliver babies in the Burnaby area.
Alfred and Ada Bingham were instrumental members of the Army of the Common Good, collecting vegetables and grains from growers in the area and even producing over 125 tons of vegetables from its own gardens to feed children and youth suffering from the lack of resources during the Depression years. The army was in operation for ten years and during that time the members organised the Credit Union movement of British Columbia and drew up the Credit Union act thorough the Vancouver Co-operative Council. They also started Co-Op stores and the Co-Op Wholesale Society.
Alfred was also Secretary of the Burnaby Housing committee and in 1946 he became the Secretary of the North Burnaby Labour Progressive Party (LPP).
Mary Jane “Ada” (Reynolds) Bingham died on August 9, 1969. Her husband Alfred died on April 29, 1979.
Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track two of recording of Alfred Bingham's writings
Track two of recording of Alfred Bingham's writings
Photograph of Wilbert "Bert" Martin standing next to a car outside of his house at 6656 Winch Street in Burnaby. Two cars are parked in the driveway outside of the house.
Photograph of Wilbert "Bert" Martin standing next to a car outside of his house at 6656 Winch Street in Burnaby. Two cars are parked in the driveway outside of the house.
Photograph of Canada Post letter carrier Bob Dahling sitting inside his relay box, taking a break from the heat and sorting the mail he is about to deliver.
Photograph of Canada Post letter carrier Bob Dahling sitting inside his relay box, taking a break from the heat and sorting the mail he is about to deliver.
Newspaper clipping attached to verso of photograph reads: "Bob Dahling at Sperling + Curtis"
Newspaper clipping attached to verso of photograph reads: "BEATING THE HEAT BEAT...North Burnaby letter carrier Bob Dahling pauses for a breather on a muggy afternoon while picking up his workload at the intersection of Curtis and Sperling."