Our House

DoMinion LEnDing CEntRES OUR HOUSE SUMMER 2017 >> 25 home with her ex-husband in 2000, but at the time had no idea of its significance. it wasn't until a few years later, watching the news on tV, that she saw her house and realized it belonged to a Canadian hero. "First, i love the house and when i found out three or four years later i started telling people, 'i live in terry Fox's house.' i feel important," terri says. Leading a tour of the home, the owners point out there have been some updates and changes since Fox lived there. the kitchen and floors have been renovated, a secondary suite has been added, and terry's room is now a home office. But the bathtub is the same and the cement patio out back, where the Fox kids carved their names and terry practiced his basketball skills, remains intact. And whenever the couple comes across a piece of the old home, like the original bathtub, they're sure to call the Fox family to see if they want it. And over the years as terry's legend grows, the home has become a place for people to stop by for a look. in one case, a teacher came all the way from ontario to knock on the door and take a peek. the way Doug sees it, the Robertsons are stewards of the home. other properties in the area are being gobbled up by developers and the land would be very attractive for redevelopment. "if we were to ever sell, and we don't have any intention, i can see someone wanting to knock it down," Doug says. While he doesn't see the home on Morrill as a heritage home in the classic sense for its age or character, he believes its significance does make it qualify for the status. to mark the 35th anniversary of the Marathon of Hope in 2015, the cities of Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and Port Moody, along with the terry Fox Foundation, recognized terry's training route with a special 10-kilometre fun run. Each city also put up permanent signs to mark the route, including one in front of 3337 Morrill. the next run is scheduled for 2020 on the 40th anniversary. Darrell Fox never expected all those years ago that his childhood home would have such significance and be important to so many people. it was after all, just a house. "it's what's inside the house that makes up the home," he says. "We were a typical Canadian family living the Canadian dream in that house. We were pretty excited to live in Port Coquitlam and to be starting to focus and realize our dream. And there's nothing special about the house, but it was special to us because we were inside it and enjoying it." Terry would begin his training route for the Marathon of hope every day from the home and spend hours mapping his course on the kitchen table. (7) JEREMY DEUtSCH, (3) DARRELL Fox The Fox family's snapshots show how the home looked during Terry's childhood and teenage years. Today, the odd visitor comes from all the way across the country to take a look at the place that gave rise to a Canadian idol.

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