Charles Juravinski
Charles Juravinski (born November 1929) is a Canadian businessman and philanthropist, principally known as the founder and owner of the Flamboro Downs racetrack and the co-benefactor, along with his wife Margaret, of the Juravinski Hospital and Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton, Ontario.
Biography
Juravinski was born in Saskatchewan, and his childhood was spent in the difficult years of the Great Depression. In 1942, the family relocated to Hamilton, Ontario motivated by job opportunities arising from wartime industry.[1]
From the mid-to-late 1950s, Juravinski worked in the construction industry, and in 1958 along with his brother-in-law founded Wilchar Construction Limited based in Dundas, Ontario. In 1971, the company closed and Juravinski opted to launch a racetrack in nearby Dundas, Ontario, with shareholder John Grant. Flamboro Downs opened on April 9, 1975 and proved very successful.[2] He managed the racetrack until 2003 when he sold it to Magna Entertainment.[1][3]
Following his retirement, he and his wife Margaret made considerable endowments to the City of Hamilton and McMaster University, permitting the establishment of a new state-of-the-art cancer care facility at the former Henderson Hospital, now renamed Juravinski Hospital.[1]
References
- ^ a b c "Margaret and Charles Juravinski". Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2010-12-10.
- ^ "OJC buying Flamboro Downs; Rebirth of racing once again; makes racetracks attractive investment". The Globe and Mail. September 1, 2000. p. S5.
- ^ "The Last Word". Toronto Sun. January 1, 2003. p. 79.