History in the Heights returns Oct. 4

Wall Block at Hastings and Boundary, around 1915. Burnaby city archivist Arilea Sill and Burnaby Village Museum curator Lisa Codd will give a talk about the early settlers of the Heights neighbourhood in a talk at McGill library Oct. 4.

City of Burnaby Archives No. 204-306

Share this story

Tweet

• Giro di Burnaby returns to Heights July 14
• Edible garden tour comes to Burnaby Heights
• Heights Merchants propose $110K public art project
• Burnaby Heights parkade to stay closed to public: report
• New Heights chocolate shop victim of break-in
• Oral history program recognized

After the success of their first effort last spring, the Burnaby Heights Neighbourhood Association and Burnaby Public Library are hosting another History in the Heights talk on Thursday, Oct. 4, 7 to 8 p.m. at McGill library branch.

The talk will be largely a repeat of last spring's event, when so many people showed up many had to be turned away, said Mary Briggs of the neighbourhood association.

She stressed that pre-registration is required and that the space can only accommodate up to 60 people before running afoul of fire regulations.

The talk, to be given by Burnaby city archivist Arilea Sill and Burnaby Village Museum curator Lisa Codd, will include archival photos of the Heights neighbourhood contrasted with what it looks like today.

"It's really more about the early settlers in the Burnaby Heights area, who they were and what they were did to settle here," said Briggs.

It's an old neighbourhood where many who grew up there still live in the area, she noted.

But at the same time, many don't know about its history.

"Before I moved to the area I had no idea it was one of the early settling areas of the Lower Mainland."

In fact, at one point, the area north of Hastings and Boundary Road was touted by one real estate promoter—who built the 1909 Overlynn mansion located next to the Seton Villa seniors tower—as Burnaby's answer to Vancouver's Shaughnessy neighbourhood. That is, until the First World War got in the way and the plans fell apart.

Sill and Codd will provide some background to what's in the Heights today, and provide tips on how to research the history of homes, buildings and businesses in the area.

The talk is free but space is limited and pre-registration is required, in person at McGill library branch (4595 Albert St.), at 604-299-8955 or www.bpl.bc.ca/events/mcgill.

wchow@burnabynewsleader.com

twitter.com/WandaChow