Golden year
1967. The year of Canada’s coming-out party, Expo 67, the Summer of Love, and the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup. The musical Hair opened off-Broadway, Vietnam protests and race riots took centre stage in U.S. cities, Twiggy was a fashion sensation, and daring men wore turtlenecks under their dinner jackets. It was a time of change – shucking off the restraint of the ‘50s, and tripping into the psychedelic, flower power of a new generation.
It was also the year that Erindale College opened its doors to 155 students, 28 faculty and 40 staff. The campus consisted of one temporary structure – the North Building – and two tennis courts. On-campus students lived in houses already located on the land including Thomas Cottage and Hastie House, and Colman House was built to accommodate the student union office and a makeshift pub known as “Ugly’s”.
Fifty years later, so much has changed! UTM has evolved into U of T’s second-largest division and a globally competitive campus in its own right, known for academic excellence and student success. But while some traditions have faded: Tent City, the green Jell-O™ frosh photo-op and the mud pits – others have remained: the St. George shuttle, the Meeting Place hang-out and feeding the resident deer.
To celebrate our 50th anniversary, UTM has planned a year of unique events and initiatives throughout 2017. There will be projects to engage your “inner” author and photographer, a film festival to celebrate international cultures, and art productions to open your eyes, ears and hearts. And much more!
For this anniversary year, we hope you will join us in our celebrations. Leading up to and throughout 2017, bookmark the 50th anniversary website at www.utm.utoronto.ca/50th to keep up-to-date on 50th events, projects, news and history. We have an exciting journey ahead.