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Canadian hero Terry Fox featured at Dufferin County Museum and Archives

March 16, 2017   ·   0 Comments

By Mike Pickford

If you were to sit down and start to think about Canada’s greatest heroes, there are probably a few prominent names that instantly come to mind. For the political enthusiasts, there’s former Prime Ministers such as Lester B. Pearson, Pierre Trudeau and Sir John A. Macdonald. Those with an affinity for sports may point towards Wayne Gretzky, Sidney Crosby or Rosie MacLennan, while the thoughtful or curious mind may raise a Chris Hadfield or David Suzuki.

While different people may have wildly conflicting views on the aforementioned Canucks, there’s one individual everyone will agree deserves a spot at or near the top of the list. The name Terry Fox has almost become synonymous with the word hero here in the Great White North, and local residents now have a chance to learn more than ever before about the man behind the name thanks to the Dufferin County Museum and Archives.

Located on Airport Road at Highway 89 midway between Shelburne and Alliston, the museum has earned something of a reputation for its ability to continually engage the public with interesting, thought-provoking presentations and exhibits over the years, but the facility’s curator, Sarah Robinson, indicated they may have outdone themselves with its latest offering.

Arriving at the museum on March 7 and sticking around until May 27, the Terry Fox: Running to the Heart of Canada exhibit captures the full story of the country’s second greatest hero (CBC polls in 2004 and 2014 gave top place to either Pierre Trudeau or Tommy Douglas, the father of medicare) as he attempted the impossible back in 1980.

The Marathon of Hope inspired millions of Canadians across all 12 provinces and territories, as a one-legged Terry Fox refused to allow his past troubles with cancer dictate the rest of his life. Setting off from St. John’s, Newfoundland, on April 12, 1980, Terry managed to get all the way out to Thunder Bay, Ontario before he was forced to stop his run at 143 days and 5,373 kilometres on September 2 due to the return of his cancer.

“It’s a truly incredible story,” Ms. Robinson told the Citizen. “Growing up, every single Canadian is told the story of Terry Fox and how he persevered in the face of adversity in the biggest way possible. We do a lot of fantastic exhibits and presentations here at the museum, but I don’t remember being quite so excited (about one) as much (as I am) with this.”

Marking the 35th anniversary of Terry Fox’s heroic run, the exhibit delves into the remarkable legacy the Manitoba native left behind following his tragic death in 1981 – less than a year after he was forced to end his run.

While most already know the story of Terry Fox, Ms. Robinson indicated this exhibition goes way beyond the well-known facts and quipits typically associated with such presentations.

“The interesting part of this exhibit is that it has a lot of personal content rather than just notes and information that we all probably already know,” Ms. Robinson said. “It really looks at the Marathon of Hope from a fan’s perspective. It includes letters from people encouraging Terry, thanking him for doing this – it kind of brings a human emotional aspect to everything, which is what drew me to the exhibit in the first place.”

Having traveled out to Alberta and British Columbia in recent times, the Ottawa-based exhibit has received rave reviews from those that have been out to see it so far, with Ms. Robinson encouraging anyone with an interest in Terry Fox and the Marathon of Hope to head out and see the presentation while they can.

“This is one of the best traveling exhibits we’ve ever had at this museum. For us to be able to have the opportunity to showcase it here in Dufferin County is amazing,” Ms. Robinson said. “For a few dollars, people can come out and get a behind the scenes look almost at the life of Terry Fox and the history of the Marathon of Hope.”

The Dufferin County Museum and Archives is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Entrance fees for adults is $5, seniors $4 and students aged between five and 14, $2. For more information, visit dufferinmuseum.com.

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