A rendering of the proposed athletic facility at Bates College in Lewiston. (Courtesy of Bates College)

Bates College in Lewiston has set a tentative groundbreaking date of May 1 for its $45 million upgrade to the campus’ fitness facility after a recent donation pushed the project within steps of its goal. 

The $10 million donation from Bates alumni Jon and Jocelyn Brayshaw brought the project within $4 million of the $31 million fundraising goal. The college has also committed $14 million toward the project, a Bates College news release stated Thursday.

The college gained approval from the Lewiston planning board in mid-February.

The new facility will be named the Stoddard Fitness and Well-Being Center in honor of Jocelyn Brayshaw’s parents, Donald and Judith Stoddard, who both died in 2021.

For the Brayshaws, the donation is a personal one. They were part of the group of students that helped start the Bates College Rowing Association, which is now a varsity team.

“Although most of our time was spent out on the water, we remember how challenging it was to find adequate facilities on campus for off-season or inclement weather workouts,” said Jon Brayshaw in a statement to Bates College.

The upgrade will double the available space in the Alumni Gymnasium and Clifton Daggett Gray Athletic Building and provide space for new locker rooms, studios for workout classes, more athletic training equipment, coaching offices and programming spaces.

Data from the college shows 80% of Bates’ 2,600 students use fitness facilities on a regular basis. The gymnasium has at least 450 students using it on a daily basis. 

The college has 31 varsity teams and 13 club teams.

“We’ve maxed out that space,” said Director of Capital Planning and Construction Chris Streifel in the news release. “We’re more than ready for this additional facility.”

The college has received about 50 donations over the 18 months since fundraising started and has about $4 million more to raise, the college said.

The most recent gift brought efforts almost 90% of the way.

“This facility will have a tremendous impact on the student-athlete experience, but its reach extends far beyond athletics,” Director of Athletics Stacey Bunting said in the release.