Hamilton is mourning the death of a prominent businessman and philanthropist.
David Braley, also a former senator and a Canadian Football League (CFL) franchise owner, has died at 79.
Braley was the owner of auto-parts manufacturer Orlick Industries Limited, and in recent decades, he had pumped tens of millions of dollars into local health care and education.
You can follow his trail of philanthropy through a series of Hamilton buildings that bear his name, including the David Braley Health Sciences Centre, the David Braley Athletic Centre at McMaster University, the David Braley Athletic and Recreation Centre at Mohawk College and the David Braley Research Institute at Hamilton General Hospital.
Braley was appointed to the Canadian Senate in 2010, but resigned in 2013.
In 2019, he was formally appointed to the Order of Canada by Gov. Gen. Julie Payette.
In terms of his CFL involvement, Braley was owner of the B.C. Lions and formerly the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
He was enshrined into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
“I’m making sure Hamilton has the best”, Braley stated while announcing his $3 million donation to Mohawk College in 2013.
“I think that Hamilton is a very special place.”