The camper van that took Terry Fox partway across Canada during his Marathon of Hope will be included in the new Canadian Museum of History.
The beige Ford Econoline "funcraft" vehicle that transported the Port Coquitlam hometown hero, his friend Doug Alward and Fox's brother Darrell from April to September 1980 has been in storage since June at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Que.
On Tuesday, Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore, also the MP for Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam, announced plans for a $25-million renovation of the 50,000 sq. ft. facility, which will be renamed the Canadian Museum of History.
It is scheduled to be open in time for the country's 150th birthday in 2017 and will include other Canadian artifacts such as the Last Spike - a silver symbol from the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway that was supposed to be hammered in Cragellachie, B.C., as well as Maurice "Rocket" Richard's hockey jersey.
The Marathon of Hope van had a colourful past before it was reunited with the Fox family five years ago.
After Fox cut short his fundraising journey for cancer research on Sept. 1, 1980 when his cancer returned, the van was driven from Thunder Bay to London, where it was sold. Four years later, it was sold to another London resident, who passed it onto his son who, in 2000, brought it to Vancouver to tour with his heavy metal band.
In 2007, Canadian author and artist Douglas Coupland, who wrote a book about Fox and designed the Fox statues at BC Place, learned about the van through a chance encounter; it was then returned to the Fox family and restored the following year by Ford.
Mark O'Neill, president and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corp., applauded the institution board for renovating the museum and shifting its attention on shared national history.
"The Canadian Museum of History will inspire curiosity and a greater understanding of the forces that have shaped the Canadian identity," O'Neill said in a press release. "Canadians, as well as visitors from around the world, will leave the museum with a deeper appreciation of Canada's unique and fascinating national journey."
