The TMU residence where students fell in love, made lifelong friends, and never wanted to leave

For more than 50 years, O’Keefe House at TMU was more than a place to sleep

By Michelle LePage | March 25, 2026

Newspaper photo clipping of students pushing beds around an empty Lake Devo.

Students take part in the annual O’Keefe House bed race around Lake Devo. For more than 50 years, student-residents organized friendly competitions and charitable events on campus. (Photo: John, Donoghue, The Eyeopener, Oct. 27, 1993. Supplied by TMU Archives and Special Collections)

Walk past O’Keefe House on campus today and you’ll find it wrapped in fencing and construction gear. The historic building is being transformed into TMU’s Nadir Mohamed Centre for Student Wellbeing – a one-stop shop for health care, counselling and academic support.

But not long ago, that same building was home to a tight-knit group of students who built school spirit, raised money for charity and created memories that still make them smile decades later.

O’Keefe House opened its doors to students in fall 1964, back when it was called Bond House. Each year, up to 40 students called the three-storey building home. By the mid-70s, rent was just $192 per semester.

Six people pose for a photo after playing a volleyball game.

Intramural sports were a big part of O’Keefe House life with current residents and alumni taking part. From 1999-2002, Cortney Vint Cassidy (front row, first from left) played 3-on-3 and 6-on-6 volleyball as well as flag football. She’s pictured left of Justin Fisher (Technical Theatre Production ’02). (Photo supplied by Cortney Vint Cassidy)

For more than five decades, residents planned events of all kinds – some just for housemates, others open to the whole campus. O’Keefe House was a staple at intramural sports and flag football was practically mandatory for residents since teams required so many participants. Themed parties, wine-and-cheese nights, trivia and trips to the movies all helped cement a bond that could only be formed at a small residence like O’Keefe.

Love at first party

Black and white hand-drawn poster promoting a party at O’Keefe House.

Greg Bork still has a copy of the flyer used to promote the 1982 O’Keefe House party where he met his wife. (Image supplied by Greg Bork)

Living at O’Keefe House was a life-changing experience for Greg Bork (Business ’87). From Chatham, Ont., Bork met his wife at a party at the residence during his very first week at TMU.

“It was right out of a Hallmark movie,” said Bork.

At the time, O’Keefe house was an all-male residence, and the guys tended to invite women to their parties.

“Around 11 p.m., a group of girls came to the door after being at the Filling Station pub (in the basement of Jorgensen Hall). They had no money and it was $5 to get in. My wife negotiated with subway tokens and the guys at the door let them in. Of course, they were always going to get in,” remembers Bork.

1982-1983 class photo of O’Keefe House residents.

Greg Bork (back row, first from right) pictured with his housemates in the 1982-83 O’Keefe House residents photo. (Photo supplied by TMU Archives and Special Collections)

Big city, small house

By the time Cortney Vint Cassidy (Technical Theatre Production ’02) arrived at TMU, the university was housing hundreds of students in the newer Pitman Hall tower. But she already knew where she wanted to live. She wanted to follow her sister’s lead and move into O’Keefe House.

“When I was in Grade 11, I took the train from Ingersoll to visit my sister. I arrived at O’Keefe House and thought it was so cool. I loved that it was a big house with living rooms and spaces like home,” she said.

Justin Fisher (Technical Theatre Production ’02) was drawn to O’Keefe House for the same reason – its sense of community.

“It was impossible to be isolated. First-years shared rooms, washrooms were communal and everyone cooked together in the basement kitchen,” said Fisher. “Each year during orientation we hosted “Tour de O’Keefe,” where upper-year students opened their rooms to new residents for icebreakers and team-building games. It was chaotic, welcoming and immediately made first-years feel a part of something.”

1998-1999 class photo of O’Keefe House residents.

Justin Fisher (middle row, fifth from left) and Cortney Vint Cassidy (back row, first from right) pose with fellow residents for the 1998-99 O’Keefe House photo. (Photo supplied by TMU Archives and Special Collections)

Both grads lived at the residence for their entire time at TMU and eventually became residence dons.

“I thought, this is the only period in your life that you’re going to do this. You’re never going to live in a house with 30 people, plan programs, be on a sports team and be involved in that way,” said Vint Cassidy. “We felt like a family and I wanted to be part of it for as long as possible.”

Incredible memories and unsanctioned activities

The creativity of O’Keefe House residents led to plenty of unforgettable moments. There were house sing-alongs, international students experiencing snow for the first time, improvised mini golf and fort nights.

“Each floor of the house would collaborate on building an epic blanket fort, with everyone ultimately ending up in whichever one was the coziest for late night chats and snacks,” said grad Chloe Shantz-Hilkes (Journalism ’09).

There were also shenanigans.

A new tradition began in 2000, when each cohort of residents painted a legacy wall with artwork, quotes and photos for future O’Keefers. (Photo supplied by Justin Fisher)

“My most cherished memory is when a group of us purchased a big inflatable kiddie pool from Canadian Tire and attached the garden hose to the washing machine hookup to create an improvised hot tub in the backyard,” said Shantz-Hilkes.

Fisher remembers how residents got around the lack of internet. “The house was not wired for internet, so one resident paid for service and we strung ethernet cables through windows and hallways. The place looked like a web of blue wires until housing shut it down,” he said.

Back when the university's mascot was a live ram named Eggie, Bork was put in charge of protecting the animal during frosh week. “They put a pen in our backyard and told us to make sure University of Toronto didn’t steal the ram. We took shifts, staying up all night and partying with the ram. I don’t even think U of T knew about it,” said Bork.

The O’Keefe House family keeps growing

O’Keefe House closed as a residence in 2018, but its spirit lives on – in a thriving alumni community and in a whole generation of “O’Keefe Babies.”

A group of men in their 50s and 60s pose for a photo on a golf course.

Greg Bork is in the back row in a purple shirt with “the lads” as they enjoy a day of golf. (Photo supplied by Greg Bork)

Bork and his wife have two sons, a granddaughter and another grandchild on the way. Recently retired, Bork is enjoying his time playing hockey, golfing and spending time with his family. This summer, he has plans to get together with a group of O’Keefe House friends at a cottage out west.

Vint Cassidy, who now runs her own fundraising business, is celebrating her 20th wedding anniversary with her husband and their two boys. She continues to stay in touch with her fellow O’Keefe House alumni who introduced her to her husband all those years ago – and their kids have become friends too!

Christopher Taylor and Chloe Shantz-Hilkes met while they were both residents of O’Keefe House. Shantz-Hikes says meeting her husband was “the most important thing that happened to me at O’Keefe.” (Photo supplied by Chloe Shantz-Hilkes)

Shantz-Hilkes met her husband Christopher Taylor (’10) while they were both living at O’Keefe House. She says the friends they met continue to be like family to the couple and their son to this day.

Fisher’s time at O’Keefe House inspired him to pursue a career working with post-secondary students. He started his career in student housing and met his wife at a residence life conference early in his career. They’re raising their two children in the GTA.

A timeline of the O'Keefe House's evolution.

Michelle LePage is a public relations and communications specialist at Toronto Metropolitan University.

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