Gate House

Gate House is one of the four Upper Houses of the Burwash Hall residence at Victoria College in the University of Toronto. Until 2007, when Victoria administration made it co-ed, Gate House was the last remaining all-male residence building in the University of Toronto. [cite web|author=Taylor, Bill|date=2007-12-19|title="Party's over at U of T residence"|publisher=Toronto Star"|url=http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/286958|accessdate=2007-12-19] The Gate House emblem is the Phoenix, visible in the bottom-right corner of the Victoria College insignia.

History

Gate House, with the rest of Upper Burwash, opened in 1913 and has held students every year since then except 1995, when it was renovated. [cite web|author=Houghton, Sarah|date=2003-03-12|title="One Hundred Years of Architecture"|publisher=The Strand"|url=http://www.vicu.utoronto.ca/about/history/One_Hundred_Years_of_Architecture.htm|accessdate=2007-06-05] As an all-male residence from 1913 to 2007 it held a number of unique traditions. For 20 years Gate House hosted an annual party called Novemberfest in the Burwash dining hall. [cite web|author=Tsang, Sharon|date=2002-12-04|title="'Student aspect' of Vic liquor license suspended"|publisher=The Strand"|url=http://media.www.thestrand.ca/media/storage/paper404/news/2002/12/04/News/student.Aspect.Of.Vic.Liquor.License.Suspended-337730.shtml|accessdate=2007-06-05] The Victoria Dean of Students cancelled Novemberfest in 2003, when police discovered widespread underage drinking and over 800 people in the dining hall, in violation of the fire code. [cite web|author=Salonen, Rachel|date=2002-01-22|title="'Student pub taken out of students' hands"|publisher=The Strand"|url=http://media.www.thestrand.ca/media/storage/paper404/news/2003/01/22/News/Student.Pub.Taken.Out.Of.Students.Hands-350656.shtml|accessdate=2007-06-05] Another Gate House tradition that no longer occurs is the "stirring the chicken," a dinner and keg party where house members cook chicken fajitas for hundreds of guests. Until 2007, Gate House held secretive first-year initiation ceremonies called Traditionals, which involved writing slogans on campus buildings in chalk, singing songs to the all-women's residence (who would then sing back to them), and leading first-years around the house blindfolded. [cite web|author=Bao, Jane|date=2007-01-07|title="'Boy's club dismembered"|publisher=The Varsity"|url=http://www.thevarsity.ca/article/1417|accessdate=2007-01-08] Since Novemberfest, Gate House continued to have conflict with the Administration. In 2004 the Dean evicted three Gate House residents for allegedly "hog-tying" a first-year student. [cite web|author=Doukas, Alex|date=2004-03-17|title="'Three students booted from res"|publisher=The Strand"|url=http://media.www.thestrand.ca/media/storage/paper404/news/2004/03/17/News/Three.Students.Booted.From.Res-637000.shtml|accessdate=2007-06-05] In 2007 President Paul W. Gooch wrote that Gate House undertook an "escalating series of actions" that were "defiant" and "disparaging of women", in response to Gate members constructing a 2.5-metre snow penis and placing a cooked pig's head in an Annesley bathroom. [cite web|author=Sibonney, Claire|date=2007-12-19|title="'University of Toronto's Animal House laid to rest"|publisher=Reuters"|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN1960484520071219?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0] As punishment, during the fall exam period Gooch evicted two residents and relocated the remainder of Gate House to other places in the residence system, banned all current Gate House students from entering the building in 2008. [cite web|author=Taylor, Bill|date=2007-12-19|title="'Party's over at U of T residence"|publisher=Toronto Star"|url=http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/286958|accessdate=2007-12-19] Since this decision Gate House has become a co-ed residence identical to the other Upper Burwash houses. Notable residents of Gate House include Lester B. Pearson, former Prime Minister of Canada, and Simon Pulsifer, who Time Magazine nicknamed "The Duke of Data" for his contributions to Wikipedia. [cite web
url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1570732,00.html
title = "Simon Pulsifer: The Duke of Data"
accessdate = 2006-12-17
last = Grossman
first = Lev
date = 16 December 2006
publisher = "Time Magazine"]

Reputation and character

During its 93 years as a men's residence, Gate House developed a distinct character and reputation. These antics included pranks, toga parties, streaking, caroling to other residences, hazing rituals, "beer bashes" and "incessant pounding" on the Gate House table in the dining hall. [cite web|author=Richards, Jason|date=2004-09-18|title="'Gate House Traditionals Exposed"|publisher=The Strand"|url=http://media.www.thestrand.ca/media/storage/paper404/news/2002/09/18/Stranded/Gate-House.Traditionals.Exposed-290475.shtml|accessdate=2007-06-05] [cite web|author=Taylor, Bill|date=2007-12-19|title="'Party's over at U of T residence"|publisher=Toronto Star"|url=http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/286958|accessdate=2007-12-19] Paul Gooch wrote that these traditions gave Gate House an "ethos" that contradicted his vision of residence life. [cite web|author=Taylor, Bill|date=2007-12-19|title="'Party's over at U of T residence"|publisher=Toronto Star"|url=http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/286958|accessdate=2007-12-19]

The all-male Gate House was known as a social centre and spirited, tight-knit community. According to Grayson Lee, who created the snow penis sculpture in 2007, most of its residents were "heartbroken" to leave. [cite web|author=Sibonney, Claire|date=2007-12-19|title="'University of Toronto's Animal House laid to rest"|publisher=Reuters"|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN1960484520071219?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0] Former Gate House President Dave Ruhl commented that "the Gate House camaraderie is unique" and that living there was "one of the most important parts of the university experience" for many. [cite web|author=Taylor, Bill|date=2007-12-19|title="'Party's over at U of T residence"|publisher=Toronto Star"|url=http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/286958|accessdate=2007-12-19]

The Reuters news agency nicknamed Gate House "U of T's Animal House" because Donald Sutherland's memories of its parties are said to have influenced the script of the 1978 movie. [cite web|author=Sibonney, Claire|date=2007-12-19|title="'University of Toronto's Animal House laid to rest"|publisher=Reuters"|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN1960484520071219?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0] The Toronto Star described Gooch's decision to put an end to its traditions, activities and distinguishing characteristics as "neutering Animal House." [cite web|author=Taylor, Bill|date=2007-12-19|title="'Party's over at U of T residence."|publisher=Toronto Star"|url=http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/286958|accessdate=2007-12-19]

Facilities

Gate House has three floors which house 28 students, as well as a don and the Victoria College Residence Life Co-ordinator. Above the gate there is a tower that rises three stories higher and has a turret-style roof. The tower is locked during the school year and entering it is a Level 4 offense under the Victoria residence agreement for which the punishment is eviction from residence.

The first floor has one double room and one bathroom available to students. About half of the floor is taken up by the apartment of the Residence Life Coordinator. Lastly, on the first floor there is a house common room with a kitchen and two couches. [http://www.vicu.utoronto.ca/Assets/Victoria/assets/Upper_Burwash_1st_Floor_10571_579514.jpg?method=1] The second floor has three double rooms and seven single rooms. It has three single washrooms and one larger communal one, as well as its own kitchen. This floor is home to the residence don, who has a larger room with a private washroom. The third floor is identical to the second except that in place of the don's room there are two single rooms. [http://www.vicu.utoronto.ca/Assets/Victoria/assets/Upper_Burwash_2nd_and_3rd_Floor_10570_797531.jpg?method=1]

Presidents

Past Presidents of Gate House Include:
*2007 John Duncan Edwards (Final president of Gate as an all-male house, evicted on December 18th by the Dean of Students)
*2007 Chris Hummel (Evicted on October 5th by the Dean of Students)
*2006 David Ruhl
*2005 Adam Thom
*2004 Trevor Hill
*2003 Jonathan "1080" Bedley
*2002 Matt Stockburn
*2001 Tafari Mbadiwe
*2000 Burt James
*1999 Jon Davies
*1998 Mike Warner
*1997 Lance "Beezer" Fukumoto
*1996 Neil Cheddie
*1995 None (closed for renovations)
*1994 Aidan Cunniffe
*1994 David Harkness (Evicted on September 1994 by the Dean of Students)
*1993 Nick Gieschen
*1992 Greg "El Presidente" Sarney
*1991 Stephan Mostowy
*1990 Darrel Cox
*1989 Bruce "Bastard" Landon
*1988 Terry Mark
*1987 Eric "Yogi" Krause
*1986 Scott Anderson
*1985 Rob Sephton

References

ee also

*Burwash Hall
*Animal House
*Burwash bug
*R. C. Harris Water Treatment Plant