Floated this idea in an editorial nearly 10 years ago but maybe it was too soon.
With news the Terry Fox statue will be moved to the new, yet-to-be-named downtown pool and bronzed to make it last much longer, now’s the time to double down and commission a Rick Hansen statue to join Fox.
Terry Fox completed his first marathon at the 1979 Labour Day Classic in Prince George. In other words, the seed for the Marathon of Hope was first planted here.
Williams Lake’s Rick Hansen also took part in the 1979 Labour Day Classic. Hansen, inspired by Fox, would go on to do the Man In Motion world tour. Those two B.C. men showed Canadians and citizens around the world what amputees and people in wheelchairs were capable of when pursuing a dream.
Prince George has a unique place in Canadian history with its connection to both Fox and Hansen, yet it’s not a widely known fact in this city, never mind the rest of B.C. and Canada.
A statue of both Fox and Hansen at the new pool would not only inform multiple generations of young people learning to swim at the new pool (and their accompanying adults) not just who they are and what they did but also inspire future greatness still unimagined.
Yes, these things cost money but there are various private and public sector grants available for such things. Fox and Hansen didn’t settle for excuses when trying to reach their goals.
Neither should we.
