New Terry Fox Memorial at BC Place
byThis morning Premier Gordon Campbell, author and artist Douglas Coupland, and Terry’s parents gathered to unveil Coupland’s design for the new Terry Fox Memorial at BC Place.
Artist: Douglas Coupland. Illustration by: David Weir, Mauricio Pommella, Douglas Coupland.
“In creating this piece, I wanted to ensure we captured the very essence of what Terry’s run was all about,†said Coupland at this morning’s press conference. “By creating four sculptures depicting the four distinct movements that made up his unusual gait, the aim was to help people understand the pain and suffering he endured to reach his goal. For those of us who actually remember seeing his run on the nightly news 30 years ago, the four sculptures will always remind us of the commitment he made, and his unwavering courage.â€
Artist: Douglas Coupland. Illustration by: Mauricio Pommella, David Weir, Douglas Coupland.
“Doug Coupland has always been willing to call on his writing and artistic talents on our behalf to help ensure future generations have an appreciation for Terry’s efforts,†added Betty and Rolly Fox, Terry’s mother and father. “We were confident, based on Doug’s considerable knowledge of Terry’s story and his enthusiasm, that he would capture Terry’s values of courage, hope and determination, and he’s certainly done that in this new memorial.â€
Located at the foot of Robson Street the new bronze memorial (that has Terry running West, growing in size) will be complete in the fall in line with BC Place’s grand re-opening. “The work by acclaimed author Coupland is part of B.C. Pavilion Corporation’s $380,000 replacement of the 1984-installed, Roman-inspired triumphal arch.” [Bob Mackin, 24 Hours]
Learn more about the Terry Fox Research Institute and the Terry Fox Foundation online.
8 Comments — Comments Are Closed
High five!
Coupland is a legend. This is a great sculpture and captures the essence of his journey masterfully.
A tribute much more befitting its subject and his journey than the current hideousness.
My mother was doing the rounds in Royal Columbian the day Terry was brought in to the hospital. She took his blood that day and said he was the most driven determined man she’s ever met.
Looks great, just could be a touch bigger I think.
While I agree that the current triumphal arch may not be as evocative as this new sculpture, I am upset and angry to see that it is being removed. Although this kind of monument is no longer fashionable, I think it is inappropriate to erase the past in this way: the current Terry Fox Memorial was the winner in a public competition, and was chosen by a committee headed by Arthur Erickson. How is removing this monument not up for public debate? Why was no effort made to replace the upper projection screens so that it could work as designed?
[…] Miss604 shows us the design of the new Terry Fox Memorial that will be built at BC Place, after the old one was dismantled to make room for the stadium redesign. […]
I think the old memorial actually looks more like something Coupland might do; kudos to him for putting aside his usual schtick to produce something appropriate.
I don’t remember the details of the “triumphal arch” competition, but I think it was exactly as unfashionable when it was first installed as it is now. Maybe it was the best of a bad lot. Perhaps there was no formal debate about its demolition, but anecdotally I never encountered anyone who liked it. Good riddance.