Terry Fox memorial unveiled at B.C. Place

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      A new Terry Fox memorial was unveiled at B.C. Place in Vancouver today (September 16).

      B.C. Premier Christy Clark was joined by members of the Fox family to unveil the sculptures made by Vancouver artist Douglas Coupland.

      The memorial consists of four bronze statues of increasing size, depicting Fox’s distinctive run.

      “This four-piece sculpture was created so that people living in 1,000 years, no matter how different or strange their lives may be, can look at it and understand its message,” said Coupland.

      “These figures grow in stature as they move forward, as Terry’s legacy has done since 1981. The figures are running towards Stanley Park, where Terry intended to end the Marathon of Hope in December of 1980.”

      Darrell Fox, the brother of Terry Fox, noted it’s fitting that the sculptures grow in stature as his brother is depicted running west, given that the Marathon of Hope race for cancer research gathered public support as it travelled from St. John's, Newfoundland.

      Terry Fox, who lost his right leg to cancer at the age of 18, planned to finish his cross-country marathon in Vancouver, but his run came to an end just east of Thunder Bay. He died in June of 1981.

      “He didn’t quite make it to the Pacific Ocean, but he certainly has left an incredible legacy,” said Darrel Fox.

      The ceremony began this morning with a group of about 200 students from Terry Fox Secondary School in Port Coquitlam and three Vancouver schools running into the refurbished Terry Fox Plaza.

      The unveiling comes just two days before the annual Terry Fox Run for cancer research, which will take place on Sunday, September 18.

      Comments

      5 Comments

      Sean Kelly

      Sep 16, 2011 at 2:42pm

      "BC Place" - what a horrible, dull, generic, bureaucratic-sounding, uninspiring name. The stadium should have been named Terry Fox Stadium in 1983. And it should have been renamed Terry Fox Stadium with this renovation project.

      Mamakel

      Sep 16, 2011 at 5:03pm

      We could have done without the Crunchy Clark photo op. Sorry Crunchy... it ain't about you!

      David Grant

      Sep 17, 2011 at 4:00pm

      Terry Fox amazing. Sculpture god awful - how about something original other than another bronze sculpture of the guy. The politics of BC place and the people involved the warm grip of privilege.

      Brian One

      Sep 18, 2011 at 10:33pm

      The skateboarders have already taken over the memorial space. It's hard to comtemplate the legacy of T Fox when a skateboard goes whizzing past your head or your kid's head. No consideration for anyone. Probably the same losers that rioted after the Stanley Cup loss.

      GOT

      Sep 18, 2011 at 10:50pm

      if people a thousand years from now have any opinion about this 'statue', it will probably be similar to the opinion I have now: heroes are always recognizable as heroes, but artists, possibly less so.