JasonParis
Moderator
True, but the spattering of gay bars eminate out of Greenwhich Village, The East Village and Chelsea predominantly.
|
|
|
Church-Wellesley Village
- Thread starter dt_toronto_geek
- Start date
Torontovibe
Senior Member
But I didn't feel that gay synergy, that comes from having a concentration of gay bars within in seeing distance of each other, like you have in Toronto and Montreal. (and the openness of the bars, along with all the sidewalk patios) For me it just makes a big difference. I'm a true village man, what can I say. lol
I never found The East Village to be very gay. I know there are some gay/mixed bars there but it seems more alternative artsy, than it is/was gay.
OttoSchloss
Active Member
A lot of those bars can no longer take it to the streets. Chelsea is finally gentrified and with that a lot of people have moved in that don't want to see congregations of gays smoking and hanging in packs outside bars. In Bloomberg's NYC, bars are fined for that and a lot of the (backyard) patios must close at 11. Just as in T.O.
Also 8th ave. is no substitute for the West Village atmosphere but alas who can afford to live there except Nicole Kidman? I agree about the East Village, it does feel almost overwhelmingly heterosexual at best. And most of the gay bars that remain there are maybe too young and sleazy for a lot of gay men.
Toronto is very village-y so if gays do get pushed out of Church St. and go elsewhere or just expand (and the city relaxes licensing venues), it'll always feel like a community.
CITY_LOVER
Active Member
If condofication of church st happens, i hope that either there is retail/restaurant activity at the base of the new buildings or gay establishments slowly but steadily move to yonge street (north of gerrard upto wellesley) so that we still have a 'gay village'. should the latter happen, it'll be like montreal, where a part of one of their main drags, rue st. catherine, is gay (of course ours would be to a much smaller scale).
i don't know which one i would prefer (continuation of gay village on church or a new one on yonge, north of gerrard) but i just want a couple of blocks of gayness! having gay places/spaces all over the greater downtown area does not provide the same synergy as a concentration of them.
i'm in my 20s still but i really wish (sometimes) that i grew up in an era where outdoor gay life was prominent (i.e. non-internet times) in concentrated areas (like it would have been in the 70s, 80s, 90s)!
i don't know which one i would prefer (continuation of gay village on church or a new one on yonge, north of gerrard) but i just want a couple of blocks of gayness! having gay places/spaces all over the greater downtown area does not provide the same synergy as a concentration of them.
i'm in my 20s still but i really wish (sometimes) that i grew up in an era where outdoor gay life was prominent (i.e. non-internet times) in concentrated areas (like it would have been in the 70s, 80s, 90s)!
JasonParis
Moderator
Perhaps further proof that Yonge Street is being re-gayed is news that GRASP will be opening soon next to St. Marc's Spa. It'll be a "unique clothing required bar with separate entrance, bar, stage & DJ -- with optional access to Toronto's legendary St. Marc Spa."
Also, with all this talk about our "declining" gay village, I do have to say that The Beaver, Goodhandy's and The Old Nick, while all outside the traditional Village, have made me less worrisome about the decline. In fact, I'd probably argue that there are now more interesting gay bars in Toronto than at any other point in recent memory.
Also, with all this talk about our "declining" gay village, I do have to say that The Beaver, Goodhandy's and The Old Nick, while all outside the traditional Village, have made me less worrisome about the decline. In fact, I'd probably argue that there are now more interesting gay bars in Toronto than at any other point in recent memory.
Last edited:
jaborandi
Active Member
I recall being told that as a funeral parlour, they specialized in children's funerals.
deerparker
Active Member
...and Straight. Byzantium and Xyclo both have DJs and dancing on weekends.
Red Mosquito
New Member
Well, perhaps the death of the village is not neccesarily a bad thing. Like some previous posters of stated, places like the beaver and the old nick are around. Is it better that we have gay bars sprinkiled accross the city, rather than consentrated? I dont know. However, as I see the death of the village before my eyes, I hope that a gay bar can be a local neighbourhood hangout in many neighbourhoods, therefore adding legitimacy and greater acceptance to us.
Shit! Im a horrible speller. Hope there isnt too many in this post.
Shit! Im a horrible speller. Hope there isnt too many in this post.
JasonParis
Moderator
Red Mosquito: Not bad at all, but UT does have a spell checker you may want to use/download.
Red Mosquito
New Member
I know. I just have to clear up a whole bunch of junk on my computer to find space for it.
torontobarfly
New Member
i don't think we have to worry about gay nightlife disappearing anytime soon in toronto, i just think the options have declined over the years and now it's starting to look like the comfort of having everything within a 5 minute walk might slowly be fading away....
as long as places like fly, buddies,the barn,zippers and the smaller boutique type bars along church survive we're going to be ok
one thing i find myself doing is comparing our gay scene to montreal's, which is a no win situation because theirs is so much better as far as choices...but then again, as far as other cities go, ours could be much worse so no need to panic yet
it's just too bad that we couldn't have a bunch of really good bars/clubs that were in buildings they actually owned and didn't have to constantly have us worrying about who's about to bolt and who isn't
as long as places like fly, buddies,the barn,zippers and the smaller boutique type bars along church survive we're going to be ok
one thing i find myself doing is comparing our gay scene to montreal's, which is a no win situation because theirs is so much better as far as choices...but then again, as far as other cities go, ours could be much worse so no need to panic yet
it's just too bad that we couldn't have a bunch of really good bars/clubs that were in buildings they actually owned and didn't have to constantly have us worrying about who's about to bolt and who isn't
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
There are two development proposals rumoured (the one between Dundonald & Gloucester Sts. is never going to happen), a few restaurants pull out (we are in a recession), a bar closes and people think the death of the Village is at hand? Come on! The Church-Wellesley Village has been evolving and changing pretty rapidly for 25 years already, and will continue to do so. Further, it's a good thing that gay things happen outside of the Village and around the city, do people really want everything to happen on one street in a five block radius in 2009?
As for "condofication" of the Village, this threat was used back when the Alexus condos were built over a decade ago. Although there appear to be two proposals in the works, no other condos have been built on Church Street since. Further, the Alexus condo tidied up a pretty run-down corner and not only provides great street life on both it's Church and Alexander Street sides but fits into the neighbourhood very respectfully.
The Church-Wellesley Village is alive and well.
This article was published in Xtra! about 1999
Click on the thumbnail to enlarge, then click again on the image for full size.
As for "condofication" of the Village, this threat was used back when the Alexus condos were built over a decade ago. Although there appear to be two proposals in the works, no other condos have been built on Church Street since. Further, the Alexus condo tidied up a pretty run-down corner and not only provides great street life on both it's Church and Alexander Street sides but fits into the neighbourhood very respectfully.
The Church-Wellesley Village is alive and well.
This article was published in Xtra! about 1999
Click on the thumbnail to enlarge, then click again on the image for full size.
Last edited:
torontobarfly
New Member
i don't think anyone has any problem with the village evolving...restaurants and bars close all the time...i think the fear is that gay establishments close and are replaced by banks,fast good joints and offices and the village loses it's identity
Dan416
Senior Member
Personally I'm not too concerned about having "gay" restaurants. You can eat anywhere. I don't frequent the bars either, for that matter, but would lament their loss as well, as I know some people prefer bars. The places I miss are the ones to dance at, e.g. Boots, IT, 5ive, Crews.
I think Buddies and Fly are pretty safe. Buddies because it's also a theatre, and Fly because it's basically been there forever.
But beyond personal preference, the potential to lose the critical mass of gay establishments in the village would be a real shame. I suppose we could migrate to Yonge St. Maybe we do belong on Toronto's Main Street?
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
Yonge Street continues to have quite a few gay establishments, though nothing like in the 70's & 80's.