By Siri Agrell
When Ryerson Chancellor John Eaton was a teenager his dog ran away, changing his life forever. The neighbourhood girl who returned the mongrel was his future wife. Yesterday, Eaton gave $1.5 million to name Ryerson’s new Sally Horsfall Eaton Centre for studies in Community Health, a tribute to his wife’s lifelong commitment to health and education. “Ive been lucky in life and I am delighted to give this gift,” Eaton said. “I’m happy to have the opportunity to say thank you to my bride and to a school that turns out some magnificent students.”
The new centre, a joint project between Ryerson and George Brown College, is currently under construction at Gerrard Street East and Mutual Street. It will house community health research and education facilities, with a focus on children, youth and the elderly.
Eaton’s gift, combined with a $500,000 donation from the Robert Samuel McLaughlin Foundation, has repelled the centre’s fundraising effort towards its $6-million goal. With additional funds allocated by Ontario’s Super Build Growth Fund, the centre’s fundraising total currently stands at around $2.2 million.
Leave a Reply