Annual Report 2019

CITY OF | ARCHIVES 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Front cover: Viewing Introduction. 3 negatives on a light box at the Archives. 2019 Highlights. 4 Back cover: Reference services at the Archives. A New Home ...... 4 City of Coquitlam.

Above: Searching the Outreach ...... 4. . . . Archives’ newspaper collection. Impact in the Community...... 10 Opposite page: Entrance Acquisition Highlights ...... 10 . . . to the Archives at 1171 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam. Reference Services ...... 11. . . . Arrangement & Description ...... 11 . . . Digitization...... 12

Plans for 2020 & Beyond. 12

Conclusion . 13

Gallery – A Year in Review. 14

2 CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES INTRODUCTION

2019 was a year of change, growth, and opportunity for the City of Coquitlam Archives. The Archives settled into its new home on Pinetree Way in January and enjoyed the increased space and visibility the new location offered. The Archives presented three exhibits in the new space, while continuing to explore Coquitlam’s past through the popular online exhibit program.

A new reference services model was rolled out in the second half of the year that included drop-in opening hours. The Archives continued its successful acquisition program, which resulted in a number of fascinating collections added to the permanent holdings. A significant digitization project made hundreds of historical Council Committee Minutes available to researchers online. Finally, the vital arrangement and description work continued to ensure the Archives’ holdings are preserved and made available to the community.

CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES 3 2019 HIGHLIGHTS A NEW HOME

All of the Archives’ holdings are now conveniently preserved in a single location with a regulated temperature. This means a significant time savings when accessing material in the vault, and the stable storage environment ensures that the Archives is able to honour its commitment to preserve the community’s documentary heritage. New Staff As a result of Council’s ongoing support for the program, the Archives team grew in 2019 with the addition of an Assistant Archivist. Andréa Tarnawsky was the successful candidate and has quickly become an integral part of the Archives team. The addition of this position significantly increased the Archives’ ability to arrange and describe backlogged and new acquisitions to ensure records are available to researchers as soon as possible. Andréa also provides a complete range of archival functions including arrangement and description, reference services during opening hours, educating new patrons about the Archives’ services, and helping researchers Above: Storage Vault A New Home at the new Archives to navigate the holdings. The Archives on Pinetree Way features 1,400 square feet of facility located at 1171 Pinetree Way. space that includes a 550 square foot storage vault, a reading Outreach room area for the public, four work stations, a scanning Above right: The station, and display space with an exhibit case and a gallery The Archives added new physical exhibits to its outreach Reference Desk with efforts in 2019 and continued to build the profile of the Assistant Archivist wall. The exterior windows are covered with UV blocking film AndréaTarnawsky as well as decorative wraps that feature historical images Archives in the community through a number of initiatives. from the Archives’ collection. These have served to activate Archives staff provided several workshops and spoke to a the corner of the building and have been a source of much number of community groups with a view to increasing the fascination as residents and visitors walk along Pinetree Way. profile of the Archives and encouraging exciting acquisitions. Four new online exhibits illuminated aspects of Coquitlam’s The new location provides a welcoming public space for fascinating history and celebrated significant anniversaries. researchers and the exhibit space helps to engage the casual Archives staff members were active in the provincial and patron. The visibility of the space has allowed staff to inform national archival communities and participated in a number curious residents of the services provided by the Archives, of city events. Finally, the popular Throwback Thursday social thereby increasing awareness in the community. During media posts continued to raise awareness of the Archives the first four months of regular opening hours, the Archives in the community and informed residents and researchers welcomed more than 120 patrons into the new space. of the work that is undertaken to preserve Coquitlam’s documentary heritage.

4 CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES 2019 HIGHLIGHTS OUTREACH

Online Exhibits Racing Circuit 1959-1990 took a drive through Westwood’s Above left: Mario Andretti at Westwood Racetrack The Archives continued its series of online exhibits to history by exploring the photographs and records from a (Columbian Company number of collections preserved by the City of Coquitlam showcase archival records from the holdings and to explore fonds) and celebrate various aspects of Coquitlam’s history, Archives. The exhibit examined the circumstances that led Above right: Breaking including two significant anniversaries. The four exhibits to the construction of the track by the Sports Car Club of ground for the new BC. It presented photographs of the early mud-runs that from this year were highlighted on the City’s social media Coquitlam Centre mall. channels and in the Tri-City News, helping to raise awareness pre-dated the paved track and highlighted the opening (Columbian Company and drive traffic to the Archives’ website. A special thanks to race that took place on July 26, 1959. The exhibit discussed fonds). staff in Corporate Communications for their hard work to get the contributions of women to the culture at Westwood these exhibits online and into the public consciousness. and introduced readers to the many famous drivers that raced through Westwood’s challenging corners. This online The 2019 online program opened with an exhibit prepared exhibit proved to be the year’s most popular, setting a by the City Archivist about the move to the new Pinetree record for the most views with 1,601. location. Archives on the Move presented before and after shots of the new space and discussed the design rationale. Coquitlam Centre celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2019 The exhibit presented the modifications of the existing so it seemed only fitting to look back at the history of space and outlined the steps taken to prepare the holdings the shopping centre. Coquitlam Centre: 40 Years in the to be moved safely and securely. The exhibit concluded with Community explored the history of the mall by showcasing photographs of the new space. Over the course of the year, some of the photographs and newspaper records preserved the exhibit was viewed 536 times. by the City of Coquitlam Archives. The exhibit looked at the proposal made by developer Ira Young that would act as a The second exhibit was prepared by the Assistant catalyst for the future development of Coquitlam’s Town Archivist. The Legen-dairy Holstein Herd of Colony Farm Centre. The exhibit shows the evolution of the project from was a pun-filled exploration of the history of Colony Farm’s conception to completion. It highlights the incredible art that famous Holstein herd and the role the farm played in the was incorporated into the design of the building, including development of mental health services in the early 20th large-scale stained glass windows that remain in place today. century. In its ‘hay-day,’ the Holstein Herd at Colony Farm There are also photographs of the opening day on August was considered to be “undoubtedly the finest herd of black 15, 1979 when the parking lots were filled first thing in the and white cattle in the world” (BC Holstein News, 1980). morning and cars stretched down the block. Coquitlam This exhibit presents the incredible collection of images of Centre quickly became an integral part of the community the Colony Farm buildings and livestock preserved by the and the exhibit reflects this with a number of photographs of City of Coquitlam Archives. Over the course of the year, the events, celebrity visits, and holidays celebrated at the mall. In exhibit was viewed 618 times. only five months, the exhibit was viewed 1,118 times.

In July, the Archives recognized the 60th anniversary of the first race at Westwood Racetrack with an exhibit about the history of the track. Start Your Engines! Westwood

CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES 5 2019 HIGHLIGHTS OUTREACH

Top left: Archives packed The exhibit was highlighted at a SCCBC anniversary event and on the move. held at Westwood Golf Course in August and a number of Top right: Westwood members visited the Archives to view the exhibit, thereby Racetrack display at the demonstrating the value of partnerships for increasing Archives. exposure to the records held by the Archives. Right:Throwback Thursday image on #TBT – Throwback Thursday Facebook. The popular Throwback Thursday social media posts continued in 2019 and proved to be an entertaining way of encouraging people to engage with the records preserved at the Archives. In addition to the public success of the posts, Throwback Thursday has also become a highly engaging internal initiative and the Archives receives weekly positive feedback from staff. Archives staff members have posted Physical Exhibits more than 250 Throwback Thursday posts since the initiative Visitors to the Archives in the early days of the new began and there are more to come in 2020. space were welcomed by text panels showcasing the Events Archives on the Move exhibit. Before and after shots were The Archives kicked off the year with the Grand Opening presented along with photographs showing the design and celebration that took place on January 30th. Mayor and construction of the new space and the move of the more Council were in attendance to cut the ribbon and officially than 1,400 boxes of archival materials. open the new space. Attendees included community partners For the first exhibit in the new display case, the Archives (Coquitlam Public Library, Coquitlam Heritage Society, Port partnered with the Coquitlam Heritage Society to showcase Coquitlam Heritage and Cultural Society, Port Moody Station an exhibit about Centennial High School. The exhibit Museum) as well as donors and valued stakeholders. The presented objects removed from the original school before event included tours of the new space, speeches from Mayor it was demolished. The exhibit also featured photographs Stewart, City Clerk Jay Gilbert, and City Archivist Emily Lonie, of the former Centennial High School building taken by and a green screen that transported guests into the past. Councillor Craig Hodge. The exhibit ran from January to May. The Archives held a Staff Open House on February 1st to From May to December, visitors were able to race through introduce staff to the new location. Staff members were the history of Westwood Racetrack. Members of the given tours of the vault and were also able to travel back in Sports Car Club of BC (SCCBC) provided historical items time using the green screen. from Westwood’s past, which were combined with The Archives played host to the Lower Mainland Municipal photographs from the Archives’ holdings to produce the Archivists Forum in March and had a role in organizing the exhibit. Items included a full set of racing flags, a race launch of Lyle Litzenberger’s book, “Burke and Widgeon: suit and helmet, and a portion of the track itself, as well A History.” The Book launch took place at the City Centre as programs, posters, trophies, and other memorabilia. Library with a capacity crowd.

6 CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES 2019 HIGHLIGHTS OUTREACH

City Events Top row: City Manager and former Councillor Archives staff participated in regular city events including Neil Nicholson pose Canada Day and Welcome to Coquitlam. These events before green screen and provided excellent opportunities to connect with community are superimposed into members and to raise awareness of the services provided the next image. by the Archives. The contest at this year’s Canada Day Above left: Staff celebrations asked visitors to guess the year of three members having fun key events in Coquitlam’s past: the 1948 Flood, the with the green screen. amalgamation of Coquitlam and Fraser Mills in 1971, and the Above: Checking out the Coquitlam Centre opening in 1979. Archives display at the Grand Opening. In 2019, Coquitlam won first place in the international Left: Launch of Lyle Communities in Bloom competition. The program highlights Litzenberger’s book, a community’s civic pride and beautification efforts. The “Burke and Widgeon City Archivist was able to host the judges in the Archives A History.” to provide a tour of the new facility, and to discuss the important heritage work being undertaken by the Archives.

CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES 7 2019 HIGHLIGHTS OUTREACH

Above: Canada Day display.

Right: Communities in Bloom Awards Ceremony Display.

Far Right: Archival workshops at Mackin House.

Professional Associations and Local Organizations The City of Coquitlam Archives continued to be an active and engaged member of the wider archival community in and across the country, to ensure that • Archives and Records Officer, Angeline Chirnside staff members remain up to date on professional best completed her two-year term as Treasurer for the practices and issues facing the community. Archives Association of British Columbia. In this role, she ensured the association’s finances were managed • City Archivist, Emily Lonie was appointed Chair of in accordance with relevant legislation and provided the Program Team for the annual conference of the her input as a member of the Board. Association of Canadian Archivists. The conference will • Assistant Archivist, Andréa Tarnawsky served as a Social take place at the University of British Columbia in June Media volunteer for the Archives Association of British 2020. Columbia, keeping members up to date with the latest • The City Archivist continued to serve as Chair and news and events pertaining to the archival community Secretary for the Lower Mainland Municipal Archivists in the province. Forum, which met twice in 2019 to discuss a range of • City Clerk, Jay Gilbert contributed his archival expertise common issues, share resources and best practices, and as a member of the External Advisory Committee for discuss areas of potential collaboration or cooperation. Library and Archives Canada’s Documentary Heritage • The City Archivist‘s term as a member of the Awareness Communities Program. Strategy Task Force was extended through 2019. It is one of three national task forces convened by Workshops the Steering Committee on Canada’s Archives. The The City Archivist partnered with the Coquitlam Heritage Awareness Strategy Task Force is focused on ensuring Society to offer a second workshop in conjunction with the that both the public and decision-makers understand Heirlooms and Treasures exhibit that ran from September the value and importance of archives. 2018 to June 2019. The workshop, Family History 101, was

8 CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES 2019 HIGHLIGHTS OUTREACH

Left: Angeline Chirnside showing a map to attendees at the Grand Opening.

an opportunity to inspire participants to research their Conferences family history and produce something with the records and The City Archivist presented at the annual conference of the information they uncover. The workshop participants were Association of Canadian Archivists in Toronto and the GLAM engaged and inspired to start their own genealogical journey. Symposium in Surrey.

The Archives and Records Officer offered a workshop about The Archives and Records Officer and the Assistant Archivist the preservation of scrapbooks, which was an extension attended the annual conference of the Archives Association of the online exhibit prepared in 2018 on the subject. This of British Columbia in Vancouver in order to connect with the presentation was originally offered in 2018 at Dogwood archival community in the province. Pavilion and was offered again in 2019 at Centre Bel Age. All three Archives staff members attended the Association Speaking Engagements of Canadian Archivists conference at the University of British It is important for professionals to make themselves available Columbia (ACA@UBC) hosted by students and faculty of to the next generation in order to enhance pedagogy with the School of Library, Information, and Archival Studies. The real world experience. To this end, the City Archivist was once ACA@UBC welcomes international archival experts who again invited to sit on a panel of archivists at the University share best practices from diverse national perspectives. of British Columbia (UBC) for a Masters seminar on archival appraisal. Students were presented with a range of archival Tours contexts and encouraged to ask questions. A new space is a source of much curiosity, and so not surprisingly, Archives staff members were asked to provide The City Archivist was also invited to speak to UBC Masters a number of tours over the course of 2019. Throughout the students in November as part of a course entitled, “Archival year, Archives staff provided tours to many groups including: Systems and the Profession.” This presentation outlined the Coquitlam Council at the Grand Opening, E-Team, members mission, mandate and roles and responsibilities of the City of of Dogwood Pavilion, members of the Lower Mainland Coquitlam Archives as well as some of the challenges faced Municipal Archives Forum, Communities in Bloom Judges, by municipal archives. and several individual archives and records professionals.

In 2019, the City Archivist presented to the Cultural Services Advisory Committee, the Watershed Roundtable, and to the Canadian Federation of University Women’s Coquitlam Chapter, who wished to learn more about the process of donating records to the Archives.

CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES 9 2019 HIGHLIGHTS | IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY | ACQUISITION HIGHLIGHTS

Above: #Museum30 Impact in the Community Acquisition Highlights Facebook post by Coquitlam Heritage. The City of Coquitlam Archives’ holdings are being used in the 1. Riverview Hospital Historical Society collection community in exciting ways. The Austin Heights BIA has used After several years and many accruals and transfers, Above right: Tri-City News article about the photographs from the Archives’ online holdings to highlight the Riverview Hospital Historical Society collection has Westwood Racetrack historical areas on social media. been arranged and described and is now available to online exhibit. researchers. This collection documents more than one The Coquitlam Heritage Society regularly employs images hundred years of psychiatric healthcare in the province from the Archives’ holdings for physical exhibits held with a particular focus on psychiatric nursing. onsite at Mackin House and throughout the community at various pop-up locations. Photographs from the Archives 2. Riverview records from Anna Tremere are also used to great effect on social media to highlight Anna Tremere was a psychiatric nurse at Riverview events, advertise exhibits, and provide additional context to Hospital for many years and following her retirement, historical milestones. Coquitlam Heritage used a number of she served as President of the Riverview Hospital photographs from the Archives for a series of social media Historical Society and ran the museum on the Riverview posts in November as part of the #Museum30 challenge. grounds. In 2019, Anna transferred additional records related to Riverview to supplement the Archives’ Coquitlam’s built heritage continues to be preserved as existing holdings. developers are provided with incentives to restore heritage 3. Accrual to the Craig Hodge fonds homes in exchange for additional density. The process Councillor Craig Hodge spent many years as a begins with research at the Archives into the history of photographer for a number of newspapers in the region, the property. By preserving historic tax assessment rolls, covering events and locations in Coquitlam. Many of family photographs, and other related materials, the City these photographs have been donated to the Archives of Coquitlam Archives is helping to safeguard the historic and a further set of negatives taken for the Columbian character of early Coquitlam. Newspaper was donated in 2019. The accrual to the Media Coverage Craig Hodge fonds includes photographs of Westwood In 2019, the Archives received 18 requests from the media. Racetrack, the opening of the Coquitlam Centre, and the The Tri-City News featured content from the Archives in 17 dismantling of the Coquitlam water tower. articles to highlight the Archives program or to illustrate or 4. 1986 Heritage Inventory records contextualize their stories. Community Planning transferred the original photographs and notes that were used to prepare the 1986 Heritage Building Inventory. The inventory was prepared by a project team from Foundation Group Designs Ltd. that included Valda Vidners and Don Luxton.

10 CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES 2019 HIGHLIGHTS REFERENCE SERVICES

Reference Services The City of Coquitlam Archives provides online access Left: 1948 flood at to digital content and descriptions of holdings through Fraser Mills (Linda Price Quest, the Archives’ online search portal. As more digital Collection). content is added to Quest, researchers are better able to access historical records without having to visit the Archives for assistance. As a result of this shift, since 2017 the Archives has seen a reduction in the number of annual reference requests, but conversely has seen a significant year-over-year increase in traffic to Quest.

To date, Quest has received more than 170,000 page views by 12,976 unique users. In 2019 alone, Quest received more than 72,715 page views by 5,142 unique users, who viewed an average of 10.17 pages per session.

5. Helena Regehr Essondale graduation materials In 2019, members of the public made 100 reference Helena Regehr enrolled in the School for Nurses requests and the Archives welcomed 15 people to conduct at Essondale from 1944 to 1946 and qualified as a research onsite. With new public opening hours, the psychiatric nurse. Her daughter donated a number of Archives also introduced the Archives to 37 interested portraits, school annuals, and graduation records from passersby. In previous years, the majority of reference her mother’s time at Essondale. requests were for historical photographs. In 2019, these 6. Westwood Racetrack materials from Howard McAskill types of requests were still common, but were significantly Howard McAskill was a long-time fan of racing at reduced because the Archives’ public domain historical Westwood and maintained a collection of posters and photographic holdings have been made available online in race programs, which he donated to the Archives in 2019. full resolution.

7. Panoramic photograph of Our Lady of Lourdes School During the past year, the City Archivist answered 41 staff Steve Nicklen has a long family history in the Maillardville requests and has been involved with several staff projects area. Among his family’s records he discovered a by providing access to records, historical information, panoramic photograph of Our Lady of Lourdes school and professional expertise. Some highlights include: The with all of the children and staff posed in front. He City’s victory in the International Communities in Bloom donated the photograph to the Archives in 2019. competition; the ongoing Street Naming Database project; providing content to Corporate Communications for use 8. Photographs of the 1948 Flood at Fraser Mills on social media; providing advice and participating in Linda Price’s grandfather worked at Fraser Mills during the city’s Heritage Management Strategy process; and the 1948 flood. She donated his photographs to the providing historic information that has helped to inform Archives in 2019 and they have been digitized and decision-making in Planning and Development. made available online.

9. Canadian Federation of University Women – Arrangement & Description Coquitlam fonds In 2019, 21 new accessions were received and 1,007 The Coquitlam Chapter of the Canadian Federation of archival descriptions were added to Quest. This important University Women celebrated its 50th anniversary in arrangement and description work enables more efficient 2019. The records of the organization were donated to location of specific items and, in turn, makes the entire the Archives late in 2019 and will soon be available for collection more accessible and thus more valuable to researchers. researchers. The work is time consuming and requires 10. W.B. MacDonald collection a significant percentage of the Archives’ resources. This R.C. MacDonald served for eighteen years as foundational arrangement and description work will Coquitlam’s Reeve. The collection includes primary and continue to be a core activity in 2020 in order to make new secondary source materials collected by his grandson, acquisitions available to the public as soon as possible. W.B. MacDonald for the creation of his biography “Catch-as-catch-can,” published in 2019.

CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES 11 2019 HIGHLIGHTS DIGITIZATION PLANS FOR 2020 AND BEYOND

evidence of decision-making. By digitizing the collection and using optical character recognition technology, access to these crucial records is dramatically improved. The Archives has been able to identify funds to continue this work in a phased manner that will proceed in 2020.

Plans for 2020 and Beyond Acquisitions • Continuing to capitalize on the new facility’s increased storage capacity by developing relationships with community groups, and pursuing other proactive measures to promote the transfer of historical material • Conducting a comprehensive analysis of the current records produced by City departments. This will inform the archival appraisal of the City’s operational records, Above: Digitized Council Digitization which will eventually facilitate the ongoing transfer of Committee Minutes. The Archives continued to digitize hundreds of photographs City records to the Archives and textual records, making them available online in 2019. In Preservation total, 412 digitized items were scanned and made available • Implementing a Digital Preservation Program to ensure online through Quest. digital records can be preserved over the long-term

Aerial photographs from 1969 moved into the public domain • Digitizing important collections (e.g. tax assessment in 2019 and so the Archives was able to scan the entire set rolls) and post them online in full resolution for researchers to • Assessing and addressing the conservation needs of the discover. There are now more than 300 aerial photographs holdings available in Quest from 1963 and 1969. Access

Several smaller photograph collections were digitized and • Expanding content available online through Quest made available online, including photographs of Fraser Mills • Digitizing important collections (e.g. tax assessment donated by George Bergson; photographs of the 1948 flood rolls) donated by Linda Price; photographs of Westwood Racetrack, • Continuing the intellectual and physical processing of Coquitlam Centre, and the Coquitlam water tower from new and existing holdings Councillor Craig Hodge; and photographs of Minnekhada • Continuing to provide detailed responses to public and Farm that were donated by Donna Rodman. staff reference requests In 2018, the Archives received a grant from the BC History • Continuing to seek relevant archival material and Digitization Program at the University of British Columbia arranging donations to the Archives to digitize the complete collection of Council Committee Outreach Minutes from 1947 to 2001. This digitization work was • Producing quarterly online exhibits that highlight the completed in early 2019 and the records were uploaded records and the work being done in the Archives to Quest. There are now 680 sets of committee minutes available to researchers. These documents are fully text- • Curating exhibits in partnership with other heritage searchable and will be an invaluable resource for anyone with and arts organizations an interest in municipal decision-making. • Continuing outreach initiatives like Throwback Thursday The Archives has been pursuing a multi-year project to • Continuing to offer workshops and talks digitize a series of nearly 400 microfilm reels from the City Clerk’s Office. The reels contain some of the most important • Developing new outreach initiatives in partnership historical records maintained by the City, with the highest with the University of British Columbia, Coquitlam evidentiary and historical value. In many cases, the City Heritage Society, Coquitlam Public Library, etc. Clerk’s Office microfilm reels contain the only surviving copies of historical Reports to Council, as well as critical correspondence and supporting documentation that provide

12 CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES CONCLUSION

The City of Coquitlam Archives continues to preserve the documentary memory Above: The flood of 1948 (C15.003). of the City of Coquitlam and the community. In 2019, the Archives was able to expand services with new drop-in hours and process a greater number of records thanks to the addition of the Assistant Archivist. In the coming years, the Archives will continue to fulfill its important mandate while striving to find new ways of connecting the community to its past, including the diversification of the Archives’ holdings so that the entire community sees itself represented in the documentary heritage preserved at the Archives.

City of Coquitlam Archives Team City Archivist: Emily Lonie Archives and Records Officer: Andréa Tarnawsky Archives and Records Officer: Angeline Chirnside (until August 2019)

CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES 13 GALLERY

EXHIBITS

Top row: Images from Coquitlam Centre Online Exhibit.

Middle row: Westwood Race track display.

Bottom row: Legen- Dairy Holstein Herd of Colony Farm.

14 CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES GALLERY

EVENTS

Left column top: Lyle Lizenberger’s book launch.

Left column below: Welcome to Coquitlam display.

Right column: Archives Grand Opening, 1171 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam.

CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES 15 City of Coquitlam Archives

1171 Pinetree Way Coquitlam, BC, V3B 7N2

| coquitlam.ca/archives

16 CITY OF COQUITLAM | ARCHIVES