Holder Honours Terry Fox In Newfoundland
30th Anniversary of the
Marathon of Hope
April 12, 2010 – London West Member of
Parliament Ed Holder travelled to St. John’s, NL on the 30th
Anniversary of the
Marathon of Hope to announce that the Government of Canada
is honouring Terry Fox by appropriately marking the beginning of
his legendary run.
Holder and the Honourable Jim Prentice,
Canada’s Environment Minister and Minister responsible for Parks
Canada, announced federal support
to recognize Terry Fox at the site where he began his
Marathon of Hope.
“I am pleased to honour the legacy of Terry
Fox, a truly inspiring Canadian, by further commemorating the
site where he began his
Marathon of Hope thirty years ago,” said Minister Prentice.
“Canadians of all ages and all walks of life will be able to
experience this site as a place to believe in their dreams, to
share their hopes, or to personally connect to the legacy of a
Canadian icon.”
“In my life, I have
had two heroes, Sir John A. MacDonald and Terry Fox.
Both had a dream bigger than themselves that inspired a
nation,” said Holder.
Parks Canada, in cooperation with the City of
St. John’s and the St. John’s Port Authority, will together
invest an estimated $200,000 to enhance the Marathon of Hope’s
Mile 0 site, where Terry Fox dipped his artificial leg into the
waters of the St. John’s Harbour, launching his trek across
Canada in aid of cancer research. Parks Canada will contribute
$50,000, the City of St. John’s will contribute $100,000 and the
St. John’s Port Authority will contribute $40,000 as well as the
land.
Enhancements planned for the site include landscaping, interpretive
signage and a commemorative sculpture. A Historic Sites and
Monuments Board of Canada plaque will also be installed,
commemorating Terry Fox as a person of national historic
significance.
"Our family is proud to know that Terry’s legacy
continues to be honoured. It's been 30 years since he stood at
this very spot and began his Marathon of Hope,” said Mrs. Betty
Fox, mother of Terry,
representing the family at the event.
“By commemorating Terry today, it's clear that the example that
he set so many years ago will continue to be an inspiration to
Canadians.”
Parks Canada manages a nation-wide network of national historic
sites that commemorate persons, places and events that have
shaped Canada’s history and which offer visitors the opportunity
for real and inspiring discovery. Parks Canada works to ensure
that Canada’s historic and natural heritage is presented and
protected for the enjoyment, education, appreciation and
inspired discovery of all Canadians, today and in the future.
- 30 -
