Special to Ontario Construction News
The Ontario government is putting $319,423 towards improvements at the Terry Fox Monument and Visitor Centre in Thunder Bay, the northwestern Ontario location where Fox had to stop his cross-country journey.
“Terry Fox is a Canadian hero whose Marathon of Hope impacted the lives of millions of people in Canada and around the world,” Premier Doug Ford said in a news release. “Our government is proud to honour his memory so his legacy can continue to inspire those living with cancer and give hope to his dream of finding a cure.”
The City of Thunder Bay will use these funds to fix the visitor centre’s roof, upgrade walkways, trails, landscaping, and buy new equipment like water filling stations, outdoor picnic tables, and benches. The city will also implement technologies such as screens, tablets, and stands for interactive displays, along with restoration efforts to refresh the 30-year-old Terry Fox monument.
This monument and visitor centre attract over 100,000 visitors every year as it marks where Fox had to end his Marathon of Hope.
After being diagnosed with bone cancer in his leg that led to an amputation in 1977, 21-year-old Fox chose to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He averaged 42 kilometres a day for 143 days until September when doctors found that the cancer had returned and spread to his lungs. He passed away nine months later on June 28, 1981.
In September of 1981 Canadian hotelier and philanthropist Isadore “Issy” Sharp founded the annual Terry Fox Run after losing his son to cancer in 1979. This global fundraiser takes place each September and has raised over $1 billion for cancer research.
“This investment helps preserve one of Canada’s most iconic landmarks and keeps Terry Fox’s legacy inspiring visitors from around the world,” said Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan. “By revitalizing the visitor centre, monument, and surrounding grounds, we are improving accessibility, enhancing the visitor experience and supporting tourism.”
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