Proposal to rename "Vancouver International Airport" to "Terry Fox Airport"

mr.x · #1 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 4:59 AM**

Should YVR be renamed Terry Fox International Airport?

Updated: Thu Aug. 20 2009 17:10:24
ctvbc.ca

A bid to change the name of the Vancouver International Airport to honour Canadian legend Terry Fox is gaining steam online.

A Facebook group, "Petition to change the name of YVR to the Terry Fox airport goal 1 million," already has 2,300 members.

The group was created in 2008 by Robert Ganzer, a 29-year-old Camosun College student in Victoria.

He says the number of members has almost doubled this week due to recent media attention.

The official petition website -- TerryFoxAirport.com -- launched Thursday.

Ganzer intends to forward the petition to B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell, as well as the YVR airport authority, once he reaches 100,000 online signatures.

Terry Fox, who was raised in Port Coquitlam, B.C., was forced to have his right leg amputated because of bone cancer in 1977. He went on to run 143 days across Canada as part of his Marathon of Hope to spread awareness about cancer and raise much needed research funding.

He passed away in 1981, at the age of 22.

More than $400 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research in Terry's name through the annual Terry Fox Run and the Terry Fox Foundation.

I'm certainly proud of my city, and I'd like to keep things as is - our airport named after our city. Vancouver International Airport has already built a massive reputation in North American and around the world.

This reminds me of the bleeding hearts that want Terry Fox's MOM to light the Olympic cauldron at BC Place. That doesn't make any sense, at all!

SpongeG · #2 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 5:01 AM**

stupidest idea ever

hes dead we get it

ravman · #3 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 5:02 AM**

No....

Yume-sama · #4 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 5:02 AM**

No way.

"already has 2300 members"

"created in 2008"

Wow, already, huh

Distill3d · #5 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 5:28 AM**

Airports should be named for Prime Ministers or those major innovators in aviation industry (IE: Kenn Borek, Clive Beddoe). If Terry Fox was a WWII fighter pilot who shot down the Japanese Army or something to that effect, sure, by all means rename the airport after him. Since he didn't do it, no. That would almost be like renaming Mount Seymour "Bryan Adams Mountain".

Spork · #6 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 5:45 AM**

We should for sure name it Jesus Airport. Jesus flies, right?

GeeCee · #7 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 5:47 AM**

No, this fails hard.

I agree with having his mother light the Olympic Flame, but this is just dumb.

David · #8 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 5:50 AM**

I've spent my whole life living in Port Coquitlam, learning about Terry Fox every single September (not even kidding, every grade from kindergarten to grade 12 we had a unit at the beginning of the year celebrating Terry and encouraging us to go in the run) and I spent the last 9 years of my life at his former schools (Terry Fox Secondary and SFU), and I would say that naming the airport after him is a little excessive... Vancouver International is just fine. Betty Fox would be an amazing choice to light the torch, but Terry Fox International Airport doesnt even make sense.

Yume-sama · #9 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 5:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Distill3d

Airports should be named for Prime Ministers or those major innovators in aviation industry (IE: Kenn Borek, Clive Beddoe). If Terry Fox was a WWII fighter pilot who shot down the Japanese Army or something to that effect, sure, by all means rename the airport after him. Since he didn't do it, no. That would almost be like renaming Mount Seymour "Bryan Adams Mountain".

We like all of our Japanese tourists, though.

johnjimbc · #10 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 5:55 AM**

I'm all for honoring people but Vancouver International Airport is established. It has a name and a very successful, positive image behind the name. Don't mess with it.

Distill3d · #11 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 5:57 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

We like all of our Japanese tourists, though.

yeah well, we like our German tourists, but I'd have no issue renaming it the William Avery Bishop Airport.

wrenegade · #12 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 6:05 AM**

I think this makes more sense than having Terry Fox's mom light the flame, but still a big NO.

mr.x · #13 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 6:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by awvan

I think this makes more sense than having Terry Fox's mom light the flame, but still a big NO.

I'm appalled at how "Terry Fox's mom light the flame" Facebook group has grown to 75,000....it makes no sense at all. If Terry was still alive, then get Terry to do it! But his mom, after almost 30 years? Move on, Canada...

I can only hope the same won't happen for the YVR renaming group.

mersar · #14 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 6:27 AM**

I'd have to say no as well, keep the established name and if an airport must be renamed, have it be a significant name from local aviation history (such as the every once and a while thrown about idea about renaming Calgary back to honor its original name sake, Fred McCall). Especially in a city with only a single major airport, where most people from other places probably refer to it by the city's name (outside of the flight enthusiasts I know, virtually no one I know calls Pearson anything but the 'Toronto airport', etc)

wrenegade · #15 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 6:28 AM**

I think they should work on building Terry Fox a better monument outside BC Place as before thinking about naming an airport after him. Terry Fox was a fantastic Canadian and deserves much better than the monument he currently has. An airport though, is stretching it a bit.

nname · #16 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 6:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by awvan

I think they should work on building Terry Fox a better monument outside BC Place as before thinking about naming an airport after him. Terry Fox was a fantastic Canadian and deserves much better than the monument he currently has. An airport though, is stretching it a bit.

"Terry Fox Place" is probably much much better than "Terry Fox International Airport"...

wrenegade · #17 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 6:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mersar

I'd have to say no as well, keep the established name and if an airport must be renamed, have it be a significant name from local aviation history (such as the every once and a while thrown about idea about renaming Calgary back to honor its original name sake, Fred McCall). Especially in a city with only a single major airport, where most people from other places probably refer to it by the city's name (outside of the flight enthusiasts I know, virtually no one I know calls Pearson anything but the 'Toronto airport', etc)

I call it Pearson. And I avoid it like the plague. I also still call Montreal's airport Dorval. Mirabel is the airport that should have been renamed Trudeau, after all it was his baby.

lightrail · #18 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 6:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by awvan

I think they should work on building Terry Fox a better monument outside BC Place as before thinking about naming an airport after him. Terry Fox was a fantastic Canadian and deserves much better than the monument he currently has. An airport though, is stretching it a bit.

Please no. I like WAC Bennett - but I think he already has a dam named after him. How about bush pilots - Russ Baker, Grant McConachie, Jim Spillsbury (founder of PWA) - etc. All more deserving and makes more sense.

Welcome to Vancouver Wacky Bennett international
Welcome to Vancouver Russ Baker International
Welcome to Vancouver McConachie International
Welcome to Vancouver Spillsbury International Airport
Welcome to Toronto Pearson International Airport
Welcome to Montreal Trudeau interantional Airport

In the UK - airports are named after the location - hence London Heathrow (located at Heathrow), London Stanstead (located at Stanstead); London Luton (guess where), London Gatwick (located at Gatwick); Manchester Internaitonal Airport used to be called Ringway and still is by locals - it's located in Ringway, south of Manchester.

Given this - Vancouver would be called "Vancouver Sea Island", or "Vancouver Richmond" airport

mr.x · #19 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 6:42 AM**

I'm all for renaming BC Place to Terry Fox Place. But certainly not YVR, for crying out loud there are logistical reasons why we name a airport after the city it is in.

Heathrow, JFK, and Charles de Gaulle work only because they are well known internationally. Who the hell (outside Canada) even knows Trudeau and Pearson?

Distill3d · #20 Posted **Aug 21, 2009, 6:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.x

I'm all for renaming BC Place to Terry Fox Place. But certainly not YVR, for crying out loud there are logistical reasons why we name a airport after the city it is in.

Heathrow, JFK, and Charles de Gaulle work only because they are well known internationally. Who the hell (outside Canada) even knows Trudeau and Pearson?

May just be splitting hairs here, but wouldn't Bob Ackles Place be better than Terry Fox Place? Maybe rename Pacific Coliseum to Terry Fox Arena.

Many non-Canadians know who Trudeau is. Especially the older ones.