Terry Fox’s hometown has unveiled two sculptures as part of a public art installation to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the Canadian icon’s Marathon of Hope.
The installation, dubbed Gateway of Giants, was unveiled in a ceremony Saturday in Port Coquitlam, B.C., and is a collaboration between the city and the Fox family.
“It’s always so amazing to have the community come together and it really feels like they wrap their arms around Terry at this moment,” his niece, Kirsten Fox, said at Saturday’s event.
The artwork, created by Spanish artist Casto Solano, is in an open plaza on Wilson Avenue.
The city says it offers an inviting space for visitors to “remember where Terry began his journey.” The sculptures were also designed to be approachable, and people are welcomed to walk up to them, touch them and take photographs.
“We just wanted to do something that was a bit unique that reflected both Terry’s time growing up here in PoCo, when he was just an average kid,” said Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West.
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“I can just think of parents being able to bring their little kids and look up at these statues and have that spark conversations of who Terry was and what he did and why he did it.”
Fox embarked on his Marathon of Hope in 1980 to raise money for cancer research after having had one of his legs amputated during his own treatment for the disease.
His cross-country tour began in St. John’s, where he dipped his foot into the Atlantic Ocean on April 12. He was forced to end his journey in Ontario on Sept. 1 when the cancer returned.
Since then, his Marathon of Hope has continued, with events in communities and schools across the country. It has raised more than $850 million.
This weekend marks the marathon’s 45th anniversary, which is a moment of pride for Fox’s family and friends.
“It says that people believe in Terry. They still connect with his values that he taught us: determination, perseverance, empathy,” said Kirsten Fox.
The sculptures are on a walkway that lead to the Port Coquitlam Community Centre, which houses an exhibit honouring Fox. Artifacts on display include Fox’s spare prosthetic leg and a Marathon of Hope T-shirt.
Fox’s best friend, who drove the original Marathon of Hope van, says the sculptures will now also be a lasting symbol of Fox’s legacy.
“Terry realized what the most important thing in life was: giving back,” said Alward.
— with files from Safeeya Pirani
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