Fonds 0227 - University of Toronto. Board of Governors. Women's Building Committee fonds

Prior to the opening of Hart House for men in 1919, there had been some attempts by the women of the University to point out the need for a women’s building. In 1916, The Varsity carried an editorial by Marie Parkes, the Women’s Reporting Editor, enunciating the need for such a building.
When Hart House opened, the Massey foundation donated $125,000 to the University to be used towards a women’s building. Gradually the women at the University began a more organized approach to the Board of Governors and to the President to emphasize the need for a building that would serve as a social, cultural and physical centre for all women on the campus. At the same time the ‘Physical Directress’ Ivy Coventry was making the needs of her department known to President Falconer. Plans were drawn up in 1921 for a women’s gymnasium to be built at the corner of Hoskin and Devonshire Place (the present site of Massey College).
In 1928, a ‘Dean’s Council’ of representatives of the U of T women faculty members was formed. The name was soon changed to the “Committee of Women Members of the Staff of the U of T”. After several attempts to be officially approved, the Committee, re-named the “Women’s Building Committee of the U of T”, was recognized by the Board of Governors in January, 1930. In the early 1930’s another set of blueprints was prepared. Sometime during the 1930’s, it was decided that the Hoskin and Devonshire site was too small.
In 1938-39, Sir Joseph Flavelle left his home “Holwood” to the University “to be used as a club or meeting place for women staff and students (cf. “A Canadian Millionaire”, Michael Bliss). Plans were announced by the officials that a gymnasium would be added to “Holwood”, thus providing a centre for women comparable to Hart House. World War II prevented any further progress with the plans.
When the “Women’s Building Advisory Committee” (a name given to it by the President) re-convened in 1946, they found that for a variety of reasons, some of which were never explained to the women’s satisfaction, the women were not to have the use of “Holwood” (this building is now the Faculty of Law). It should be noted that the fund for a women’s building now amounted to $290,000. (The interest on the original gift together with some other bequests and money raised over the years by the Women’s Athletic association).
By the late 1940’s, the situation, re: the lack of facilities for [women] enrolled in the fast-growing degree program in Physical and Health Education, had reached a critical state. Briefs were presented by both the Building committee and the Women’s Athletics Committee on several occasions.
In 1951, the University purchased “Wymilwood” from Victoria College and announced that this would be the new women’s building. The building was to be renovated and gymnasium facilities added. The building was re-named “Falconer Hall”. New plans were initiated for the additions to the building. President Smith announced that a new advisory committee was to be appointed for Falconer Hall but the “Women’s Building Advisory Committee” was to be retained to develop future plans. The “Falconer Hall Advisory Committee” was to consider matters related to the operation of Falconer Hall.
In 1955-56, President Smith abolished the “Women’s Building Advisory Committee” with no advance notice. At about the same time, he also advised Miss Slack, Director of Physical and Health Education for Women and Director of Falconer Hall that the Premier of Ontario had informed him that he did not wish Physical Education facilities to be built on Queen’s Park, and that consideration was again being given to building a physical education facility at the corner of Hoskin and Devonshire Place, a location that had been rejected by the Board in the 1930’s as being too small to be worth the while. These actions were met with indignation from the various women’s alumnae groups. Following vigorous protests and representation by a committee drawn from several alumnae groups, under the chairmanship of Mrs. Pauline McGibbon, the Committee was re-established and plans were announces that a new Women’s Building would be built at the corner of Harbord and Huron Streets.

The Committee continued until the Benson Building was opened in 1959 (cf. Falconer Hall Building Committee)
During the period from 1921 to 1959, the W.A.A. and the Women Senior T-holders were prominent in the long struggle to obtain a women’s building that would serve as a social, cultural and physical centre. They finally had to settle for a home for women’s physical education and sports.