CAN HEALTH FOOD BE FAST FOOD?
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MARCH 22 2013 www.burnabynewsleader.com
Grade 7 Public Speaking Challenge winner takes a fresh look at fighting apathy. See Page A7
Fireworks could be off the shelves Heights merchants seek ban on sales Wanda Chow
wchow@burnabynewsleader.com
MARIO BARTEL/NEWSLEADER
Brian Tahririha is pleased that the city of Burnaby is buying and restoring the neon sign for his Edmonds’ burger stand. He’s been operating Lost in the 50’s Drive In since last summer.
City to save Lost in the 50’s neon sign To maintain landmark ‘arrow’ sign in Edmonds Wanda Chow
wchow@burnabynewsleader.com
The landmark “arrow” neon sign at the Lost in the 50’s Drive-In restaurant will remain a part of Edmonds after Burnaby council approved its purchase and restoration Monday. As with most local neon signs, it is owned by the sign company that originally built it, or in this case, Neon Sign Crafters, which acquired the assets of the original builder,
Neonette Sign Company, according to a city staff report. Burnaby city hall will pay $2,000 to purchase the sign and up to $7,000 to restore it, including repainting and installing the original neon tubing which is in storage, or replacement of the tubing. The funding will come from city casino revenues. The city will cover the costs of the ongoing maintenance, estimated at $150 a month, with the lessee of the property responsible for the sign’s electricity bills and maintenance, repair or replacement of the lexan
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BRiAN VidAs 604.671.5259
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sign panels. and is the only historic neon sign The 20-foot-tall sign, a curved remaining in South Burnaby,” the arrow pointing down at the drive-in report said. eatery, was built in 1961 for the The sign will remain part of the Tomahawk Drive-In Restaurant ongoing lease of the restaurant which opened on the site at 7741 property. Edmonds St. If the site is ever redeveloped in It was later known as Lindy’s future, the report said, council could Burger and in 1990, it became the consider retaining the sign on the Lost in the 50’s Drive-In. site as a civic heritage landmark, Burnaby city hall acquired the relocate it elsewhere in the Edmonds property in 1975 under the Land commercial district or lease, sell or Assembly and Development dispose of it to another property Program. owner. The sign is a “rare surviving 4x1.25_small_appliances_ad_final.pdf 1 12-03-05 1:20 PM Please see RESTAURANT, A3 example of neon sign art in the city
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Burnaby city hall could ban the sale of fireworks after concerns were raised by the Heights Merchants Association. Isabel Kolic, the association’s executive director, said in a letter to council that fireworks vendors who set up shop temporarily in vacant commercial buildings around Halloween, often don’t respect city signage bylaws. “Indeed, their large, garish signage and flashing lights demonstrate their disregard for the communities that surround them,” Kolic wrote. While the temporary fireworks vendors provide income for property owners between leases, they “bring more consternation than prosperity to our business community as a whole.” The association’s board “expressed a desire to ban them outright,” but knows some property owners would not support such a policy, she said. At the very least, the association asks that council consider stricter enforcement and stiffer fines for violations of the signage bylaws. Please see FEW, A4