David Braley makes $3 million donation to Mohawk College

Senator David Braley made a $3 million donation to hep fund a new athletics centre for Mohawk College.

The Senator and Mohawk President Rob MacIsaac made the announcement Friday. It was the first event held in the new $35 million athletic facility, a part of the campus renewal project.

"All of my donations...have been around healthcare," said Braley. "We've put money into research, we've put money into clinics...and we've put money into athletic and recreation facilities for young people."

MacIsaac said the David Braley Athletic and Recreation Facility will be one of the biggest and most advanced athletic facilities in Ontario at the college level, including 3 gymnasiums, and an indoor running track.

The facility will also be home to Volleyball Canada's newest center for excellence for training elite athletes and will host the 2014 Ontario women's basketball championships and the 2015 national men's basketball championships.

"The David Braley Athletics and Recreation Centre is one of the cornerstones of our Fennell Campus renewal project,"  said Mohawk President Rob MacIsaac, "and will be an integral part of an exceptional Mohawk experience for our students."

Many of the college's recent investments are in the health and wellness of students. Senator Braley says that's his main focus with this donation.

'I'm making sure Hamilton has the best,' Braley says.

Braley said he didn't care what kind of message the investment sent to other cities.

"I'm making sure Hamilton has the best," said Braley. "I think that Hamilton is a very special place, we've led many, many things over the years, and we have the leading college in Ontario and in the GTA...now our job is to make it even better."

Senator Braley has made similar donations to McMaster University in the past, including the construction of it's own David Braley Athletic Center.