Fire guts historic 'Aintree' home

Fire guts historic ‘Aintree’ home
By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published May 3, 2003

One of the most revered heritage homes in Burnaby was gutted by a fire of undetermined origin early Wednesday morning.
The 1927 'Aintree' manor that is now part of Burnaby Lake regional park is one of the few examples still standing in the city of the English Cottage-style of home, said John Wray, a member of Burnaby's Community Heritage Commission.
"I think, without question, it deserves to be saved," Wray said of the once-stately home hidden behind a tall hedge of trees and nestled beside the Brunette River on Cariboo Road.
"Right now it doesn't look very good, but I think if there's a possibility to save it, we should be willing to put some money into it," Wray said. "If there's any way to save it, we need to look at it."
According to the City of Burnaby heritage inventory list, the 76- year-old home was built on the picturesque 1.5-acre property by Stanley and Isabel Picken, who came from Montreal to open and operate their Aintree Dog Kennels.
The main part of the distinctive house was completed in 1929, and a north wing was added in 1931. In addition to running the kennels, which was the first in the province to breed Irish setters, Stanley Picken also worked as the original dam keeper on the Brunette River.
The home and property were purchased by the Greater Vancouver Regional District about 10 years ago and, although it has been vacant since last September, it had recently undergone minor repairs in preparation for being rented out again. The GVRD had also budgeted about $30,000 for additional repairs to the interior of the home this year. However, the fire struck before that work was started.
The building was vacant at the time of the fire, but the stables on the property were being used by members of the nearby Burnaby Horseman's Association.
Fred Scarfe, an assistant fire chief in Burnaby, said the fire is believed to have started around 5 a.m. inside a mud room before spreading into the interior of the spacious three-level home. Firefighters estimate the total damage to be in excess of $200,000.
Although fire crews responded immediately after receiving the first report of the blaze, the fire was stubborn, and flames were still sprouting out from the roof of the home almost five hours later, according to witnesses.
Nobody was injured, and the fire did not threaten the horse stables, said firefighters.
While the fire is officially listed as having an 'undetermined origin,' unconfirmed reports indicate there may have been some kind of electrical power surge a short time before the blaze.
Ed Andrusiak, manager of GVRD parks, said the future of the home will definitely have to be reviewed in light of the serious damage caused by the fire.
"There has been a fair of amount of damage because the fire was in the central part of the building. However, we still have the shell around the outside," Andrusiak said. "However, what exactly is left is going to determine a lot of the decision making that needs to occur."
The GVRD recently conducted minor repairs to the roof and heating system in the home to ensure that is kept warm and dry, and plans were in the works to upgrade the property later this year so that it could be rented out to tenants.
Andrusiak said the GVRD will consult with the city of Burnaby on the future of the home, however, he said there are several outstanding questions which need to be answered.
"Some of the questions we'll have to ask include, what is the cost of a full restoration if it's doable, or has it been so badly damaged structurally that it is beyond that? Then we may want to ask what is its value as a structure or its relationship to historical events or historic people? We may also want some kind of analysis of what is there now versus what it had or has an an architectural piece."
The Burnaby Lake nature park management plan written by the GVRD and city of Burnaby in the mid-1990s identified Aintree Manor as a possible future entrance and administrative centre for the the regional park. Andrusiak said that he is relatively new to his position in the GVRD, and he is not familiar with the older regional park plan.
However, Andrusiak also said that the GVRD has a strong reputation for helping to preserve significant heritage homes in the Lower Mainland, and he points to several examples of such properties inside the regional park boundaries.
"We have our share of heritage houses that we are proud to look after," he said, pointing to the Burr Villa, Ag Hall and school house buildings at Deas Island regional park, Cammidge House at Boundary Bay regional park, and the stately Minnekhada Lodge that is main feature of Minnekhada regional park on Burke Mountain in Port Coquitlam.
Meanwhile, Wray believes a proposal to save the Aintree Manor deserve serious consideration.
"It certainly needs to be carefully looked at. We can't decide to demolish it without a real look at its heritage value. Even though the GVRD owns it, it more or less belongs to the residents of Burnaby. This has always been a house of interest in the city.
"A majority of the people who know about the house always comment how beautiful it is and how they wish they could live in it. There's definitely a community feel and a love for the house. It's such a prominent landmark."
According to the city of Burnaby heritage inventory, the architecture of the home is related to the craftsman and Tudor Revival styles, but is commonly referred to as the English Cottage style.