Moving to the Heights wasn't easy for Burnaby's pioneers, especially on Capitol Hill, according to Mary Briggs, a volunteer with the Heights Neighbourhood Association.
"For instance, on Capitol Hill, there was a large number of really large trees," she said. "So they had to deal with getting them off the hill."
A lot of that lumber was used by the first settlers to build their homes, she added.
Lisa Codd, a curator with the Burnaby Village Museum, will be discussing these topics and more at the next History in the Heights event, being held on Oct. 17, Briggs said.
Codd will cover the history of the Heights from the first settlers, who often came from Europe where there were advertisements enticing them to move to Burnaby, to growth spurts after the First and Second World Wars, Briggs said. She'll also discuss the lack of development during the Depression in the '30s.
The event is cohosted by the association and the Burnaby Public Library.
Those attending will learn about the pioneer era in the neighbourhood, as well as tips from city archivist Arilea Sill on how to research the history of the area.
The journey back into the past can evoke a lot of memories for residents who have lived in the area for a long time, according to Briggs.
"We get a lot of seniors that actually grew up in the area that will come to these events and they actually share some of their stories of what it used to look like when they were growing up in the neighbourhoods," she said.
The event takes place in the community room of the McGill branch from 7 to 8 p.m. It is free, but those wishing to attend must register in advance online, by calling 604-299-8955 or in person at the library.
For more information, go to bpl.bc.ca/events/history-in-the-heights-1.
