Charles Juravinski
Encyclopedia
Charles Juravinski 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
.
, 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.
From the mid-to-late 1950s, Juravinski worked in the construction industry, and in 1958 along with is brother-in-law founded WilChar Construction based in Hamilton. In 1971 the company closed and Juravinski opted to launch a racetrack in nearby Dundas, Ontario
. Flamboro Downs
opened on April 9, 1975 and proved very successful.
He managed the racetrack until 2003 when he sold it to Magna Entertainment
.
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.
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
, principally known as the founder and owner of the Flamboro Downs
Flamboro Downs
Flamboro Downs is Canada's fastest half-mile harness horse racing track, based in Hamilton , Ontario since April, 1975. It is also home to Flamboro Slots, which has a total of 750 slot machines....
racetrack and the co-benefactor, along with his wife Margaret, of the Juravinski Hospital
Juravinski Hospital
The Juravinski Hospital is a hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada operated by Hamilton Health Sciences. It is located adjacent to the Juravinski Cancer Centre....
and Juravinski Cancer Centre
Juravinski Cancer Centre
The Juravinski Cancer Centre is a comprehensive centre for cancer care and research in Hamilton, Canada. Operated by Hamilton Health Sciences, it is adjacent to the Juravinski Hospital, which provides Emergency Room facilities....
in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
.
Biography
Charles Juravinski was born in SaskatchewanSaskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, and his childhood was spent in the difficult years of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. In 1942, the family relocated to Hamilton, Ontario motivated by job opportunities arising from wartime industry.
From the mid-to-late 1950s, Juravinski worked in the construction industry, and in 1958 along with is brother-in-law founded WilChar Construction based in Hamilton. In 1971 the company closed and Juravinski opted to launch a racetrack in nearby Dundas, Ontario
Dundas, Ontario
Dundas is a formerly independent town and now constituent community in the city of Hamilton in Ontario, Canada. It's nickname is the Valley Town. The population has been stable for decades at about twenty thousand, largely because it has not annexed rural land from the protected Dundas Valley...
. Flamboro Downs
Flamboro Downs
Flamboro Downs is Canada's fastest half-mile harness horse racing track, based in Hamilton , Ontario since April, 1975. It is also home to Flamboro Slots, which has a total of 750 slot machines....
opened on April 9, 1975 and proved very successful.
He managed the racetrack until 2003 when he sold it to Magna Entertainment
Magna International
Magna International Inc. , is an automotive supplier headquartered in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's largest automobile parts manufacturer, and one of the country's largest companies. It owns the Magna Steyr automobile production company of Austria....
.
Following his retirement he and his wife Margaret made considerable endowments to the City of Hamilton and McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
, permitting the establishment of a new state-of-the-art cancer care facility at the former Henderson Hospital, now renamed Juravinski Hospital.