[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Joyce_gift.jpg” caption=”Holding the $10-million cheque at today’s announcement, from left, are Roger Trull, vice-president University Advancement, donor Ron Joyce, McMaster President Peter George and Therese Quigley, director of Athletics & Recreation. Photo credit: Chantall Van Raay “]Ron Joyce, the former police officer who turned Tim Horton's into an iconic international franchise, has donated $10-million toward the construction of McMaster University's new stadium. The stadium will be built next to the University's Athletics and Recreation Centre, which is currently undergoing a major expansion.

The announcement, made today at McMaster University, is the largest private donation made to a Canadian university athletics facility.

“It's a tremendous gift for McMaster, and for the entire Hamilton community, and we are extremely grateful,” said Peter George, president of McMaster University. “Mr. Joyce's generous donation affirms our commitment to the scholar/athlete tradition, enabling our students to participate in inter-collegiate athletics at the highest level, and in a wide range of intra-mural sports. Our participation in football, soccer and other outdoor sports, coupled with the Hamilton community's growing need for such facilities, has made the construction of the Ronald V. Joyce Stadium a necessity.”

“Sports and recreation of all types are vital to the development of people of all ages,” said Joyce. “McMaster is a great school with winning sports teams, and I'm proud to be able to help McMaster and its students to build a stadium showcasing its range of athletic programs; one that will also boost school spirit and good health. This stadium will be a tremendous asset for both the University and the Hamilton community.”

The stadium will seat 6,000 when it opens in September 2007, to host its first McMaster Marauder football game. State-of-the-art surfacing will increase training time by allowing teams to practice in a range of weather conditions. Ronald V. Joyce Stadium will also host school championships for children and teens, as well as for regional, provincial and national competitions. It will be the only competitive field in Hamilton. The stadium will be of particular interest to professional sports teams looking for a practice venue adjacent to the Sports Medicine Clinic, which specializes in up-to-date care for muscle and joint pain, and the Sports Injury Clinic, which will offer superior facilities for rehabilitation treatment.

Additional information about the expansion plans for the Athletics and Recreation centre and stadium can be found at www.marauders.ca.