Avro Arrow replica nears completion. The famous 1950s aircraft will be installed for public display at Paul Coffey Park in Malton.
The long-awaited installation of an Avro Arrow replica at the redeveloped Paul Coffey Park is making progress and expected to be unveiled in the coming months, according to Mayor Carolyn Parrish.
Plansto redevelopment the park have been underway since 2017, when Parrish was the city councillor for Malton, where the park named after the Canadian hockey legend is located.
The aircraft is but one of the many changes to the park — including a new playground and splashpad — but will certainly be one of its most distinctive features.
The reason the replica is being showcased at Paul Coffey Park is because Malton is where the Arrow was originally built. The company Avro Canada — which was legally known as A.V. Roe Canada Limited — was based out of Milton and the airport that later became Pearson International.
The Avro Arrow story remains a controversial one, as the aircraft was originally built to be sold to allied nations across the country but was promptly ordered to be shut down by Prime Minister Diefenbaker in February 1959 prior to a former project review. This put thousands of local employees out of work.
While the aircraft had failed to secure the anticipated purchase orders at the time, the company was still seen as an opportunity for Canadian jobs and exports and to lead on the world stage. Avro Canada shut down in 1962 as a result of Diefenbaker’s decision.
There is already a replica of the Arrow that was previously located at Downsview Park and now is held at the Canadian Air and Space Conservancy in Edenvale, Ontario.
