Port Coquitlam will not be forgetting its hometown hero anytime soon.
Terry Fox is bigger than life in this suburban city.
He’s buried at the Port Coquitlam cemetery, a school is named after him and a statue of the famous one-legged runner was recently installed at the busy Hyde Creek Recreation Centre.
But now the city is planning another statue to commemorate Terry Fox.
In what has been a carefully guarded secret while the city's new Port Coquitlam Community Centre was being built, city councillors have finally revealed plans to honour the Canadian icon.
The city has confirmed it is commissioning a statue, and it will be established at the city’s brand new gathering space that, on Saturday, Oct. 2, was named Terry Fox Home Town Square to huge fanfare from assembled crowds.
HERE IS HOW TERRY FOX WILL BE HONOURED IN PORT COQUITLAM
The honour took place at grand opening festivities for the new $132 million Port Coquitlam Community Centre (PCCC), located at 2150 Wilson Ave., Port Coquitlam.
And on Kelly Avenue, located just below plaza, is a map depicting major stops on Fox’s Marathon of Hope.
The city wants to ensure people remember Terry Fox’s legacy with his Marathon of Hope which has spurred generations to raise more than $800 million in support of cancer research.
“We will be working closely with the Fox family to produce a statue that is a fitting tribute to our hometown hero, that inspires future generations and that all of us can be proud of. Together with the display of Terry Fox artifacts and memorabilia inside of the community centre,” Mayor Brad West confirmed in an email to the Tri-City News.
The artwork embedded into Kelly Avenue is called the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope, and it’s a map of Eastern and Central Canada showing the route of the Marathon of Hope with round markers indicating important milestones of Fox’s journey.
There is also a QR code that you can scan to read Fox’s personal journal entries written on his journey through the Atlantic provinces, Quebec and Ontario towards home.
During last Saturday’s grand opening, thousands of people turned out to listen to live performances, chow on food truck fare, drink cold beverages and play basketball and pickleball on the large sports court. There was also hockey, swimming and public skating with proof of vaccination upon entry to indoor facilities.
