Fonds 493 Keith Finnen fonds

Back to Finding Aids

Summary information

Repository: South Peace Regional Archives
Title: Keith Finnen fonds
Reference code: 0493
Date: 1959-1991 (date of creation)
Physical description: 3 cm textual records

41 photographs

2 technical drawings

Language: English
Dates of creation, revision and deletion: Processed by Mary Nutting, August 2008
Added to new database August 2023, TD

Administrative history / Biographical sketch

Keith Egbert Finnen, resident of Grande Prairie, was born July 13, 1934 to Ed and Blanche Finnen. Ed Finnen was a steam engineer, and Keith learned the trade as well. He was a steam engineer at North Canadian Forest Industries, Plywoods Division, for about 30 years—most of his working career. This plant was started by the Bickell family as Northern Plywood in 1938. Canadian Forest Industries invested in the company, at which time it became North Canadian Forest Industries, and eventually was bought out by Canfor. Keith and his wife Marguerite had three children: Dale, David, and Audrey (Crichton). Keith passed away May 12, 2007 in Kamloops, B.C.

Scope and content

The fonds consists of textual records and photographs related to the operations of the steam plant which generated energy to run the steam engines for the North Canadian Forest Industries, Plywoods Division Plant on 118th Avenue and 99th Street in Grande Prairie. It includes correspondence from 1959-1960 between Ted Roubicek (from Canfor head office in New Westminster, BC) and King Crick, manager of the Grande Prairie Plant; a manual and two blueprints for the Erie Ball Engine which was installed in 1959-1960; inspection certificates from 1973-1985 for various boilers which ran the steam engines at the mill; Engineer’s Regulations and Examination, 1972-1975; a training manual for a new hot oil system for creating steam installed ca. 1985; and copies of news clippings related to the history of the Canfor Plywood Plant. The photographs are in the 1985 training manual and show Joe Pirker pointing out the intricacies of the new plant.

Notes

Title notes

  • Source of title proper: Title of fonds based on contents.

Access points

  • Textual record (documentary form)
  • Technical drawing (documentary form)
  • Graphic material – photograph (documentary form)
  • Industries (subject)