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FIRST OPENING EXHIBIT on SEPTEMBER 15, "SWEDISH COINS AND ROYAL LETTER 1718-1760" 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

This opening exhibit will include the following events/attractions

  • Ribbon cutting at 1 pm.
  • Laila Axen will welcome all.
  • We all walk into the Heritage room.
  • Emigrant song.
  • Displays honouring the donors for their contribution of renovating the room into Museum standards.
  • Various artifacts from Swedish immigrants in display cases.
Culture Days has posted information on this event, click here to view

Everyone welcome

Who we are

We work in conjunction with the Swedish Canadian Village and the Swedish Residents Foundation. Our goal is to document and record the history of Swedes, and the people of Swedish heritage, who settled in British Columbia and helped shape the province. Each year more of the history is forgotten. To prevent further loss of this precious cultural history, we have secured premises of 1000 sq. ft. in the Swedish Canadian Manor. These premises have been renovated to meet museum standards and we will open this new facility, to the public, on June 9th, 2019.

Our intention is to display various Swedish artifacts that were brought to British Columbia., as well as artifacts associated with Swedish culture in BC.

We will also collect archival records of Swedes, Finn Swedes, Ukrainian Swedes, Estonian Swedes,, etc., who migrated to BC, thus documenting their heritage as well as their life in BC.

If YOU would like to participate in this program please email Laila Axen

This exhibit is open Sundays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

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FEBRUARY EVENTS 2020

A delegation from Swedish Immigration Services toured Swedish Heritage B.C. on February 8, 2020.

SEMLOR AND MEMBERSHIP

YOU ARE INVITED TO SEMLOR- SWEET BUNS WITH MARZIPAN AND WHIP CREAM - ON FEBRUARY 23, 2020 FROM 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Come early while this delicacy last Our organization depends on your support It is time to renew your Swedish Heritage B.C. membership for 2020. As a THANK YOU for your ongoing support, we serve you semlor and coffee. Membership fees for 2020 are: Single $ 15.00, Family $ 25.00 and Life Time membership $ 100.00. Please make cheque payable to: Swedish Canadian Residents' Foundation. Mail in membership renewal to Swedish Heritage B.C., 1812 Duthie Ave., Burnaby, B.C. V5A 3K3
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Opening ceremony Sept 15 2019.

We are open! Laila Axen cuts the ribbon on September 15th 2019. Many members and guest had gathered for this opening event. After ribbon cutting they all went to the display hall where important artifacts were on display.

Everybody had a great time and enjoyed both the music (thanks Bo Fred Olsson) and the artifacts. Thanks again to all the sponsors.
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Grand Opening June 9th, 2019
.. It was a full house! Photo Tuulikki Abrahamsson

Donor Appreciation Display open on June 9th, 2019

This opening honored the donors that made it possible to create our new 1000 sq. ft. Heritage room. This room included, on opening day, panels recognizing the donor companies and organizations, several Swedish heritage artifacts from the 1700 hundreds, and a BIG thank YOU from the committee.
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Swedish Press Article "The Opening"

This article was written by Dorothy Carlsson and was published in Swedish Press

The gate is open, the signs are up and blue & yellow balloons swaying in the breeze. The doors to our new Heritage Room are wide open and inside, the canapes, wine and saft are waiting to be served. Members of the Heritage committee – some in folkdrack – are ready to welcome the donors who supported the project. As the guests begin arriving our Thank You celebration begins! As the guests move into the room and enjoy refreshments, they are treated to Swedish folk music. This space will house artifacts and documents of the personal stories from Swedish immigrants to British Columbia. For today there is only one display case and the cabinet from Sweden with a date that might be ‘1743’ in the original faded paint. Information about major donors is on display for guests to read.

Our emcee, Astrid Switzer introduces the musician, Bo Olsson who performs a short version of “Emmigrant Visa” and then explains the story to the audience. The programme begins with the formal recognition that we are on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Kwikwetlan people. A warm welcome is extended to all!

The first speaker, Laila Axen is introduced as the driving force behind the creation of Swedish Heritage in British Columbia. Laila begins by noting that this is such an auspicious occasion as to warrant wearing her very special hat and so it popped into being – a black silk top hat! She asked that the donors present stand as she calls their names and explains how they have assisted in the creation of the Heritage Room. The SCRHA Board of Directors who are providing the space and the management team who so helpful with renovation work.

The corporate donors; Erv Parent ‘s Karl Brunner who authorized the flooring donation; Ikea’s representatives Helene Loberg and Kyle Yaschuk for their part in providing the kitchen components; Home Depot and VanCity for fund. The Societies that have supported the project - Sweden House Society, Scandinavian Community Centre Society; Runeberg Social Club and the Swedish Cultural Society all provided funding. Individuals like Glenn Swanson and Jorgen Olofsson contributed their time and expertise and Carina Spencer for funding. Christina Reid for advising on the process to start the archives.

The Heritage Room will be open on weekends 1300 to 1600 hrs, starting Sept. 15th. A sincere Thank You to everyone!

The Honorary Consul of Sweden, Thomas Gradin Thanked the committee for the invitation and congratulated Laila on her upcoming Birthday. He led us in both English and Swedish versions of Happy Birthday, complete with the ’Rahs’!

The Honorable Katrina Chen, MLA for Burnaby-Lougheed reminded us that we are all immigrants to Canada. The Mayor of Burnaby, Mike Hurley extended his congratulations and looks forward to the future displays. Anders Nordin, President of the Swedish Canadian Village societies congratulated the committee for making the idea a reality and that the Board is happy to have had the opportunity to help. He introduced Birgit Cook and Lennart Osterlind as members and local artists who took on the challenge of creating paintings for the very old and ornate Swedish frames. Everyone was delighted with these truly beautiful landscapes of the west coast! The old frames are immigrants being transformed with Canadian art!

The programme ended with our emcee welcoming everyone to partake of the fine Swedish tradition – Fika! A fitting end to such a happy occasion.

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Swedish Heritage in BC
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