adma
Superstar
Glad Day, above all.
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Church-Wellesley Village
- Thread starter dt_toronto_geek
- Start date
Jonny5
Senior Member
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.
"The Church-Wellesley Village is alive and well."
Interestingly, this article essentially discusses how "The Village" may be priced out of "The Church-Wellesley Village".
Restaurants and bars do come and go, but do you think the BMO is going to close down in a few years and turn into a new drag bar? With rent skyrocketing, these changes could be irreversible. What if Zelda's old location did turn into a McDonalds? That's one more space permanently gone. When a community is slowly being chipped away it will still appear healthy, but there comes a point where it loses a critcal mass that drives business and community growth. Then it's bust and fast.
Of course communities have successfuly decamped, dissappeared and then reestablished themselves in the past, but in this city today, that looks like an impossible task. Don't overlook the accessibility of Church and Wellesley. You can't replicate that at Queen and Dufferin.
Perhaps "The Village" is no longer necessary for Toronto, but it's passing shouldn't be dismissed since "it's 2009!" It isn't going to be recreated again and we should all take time to think about what is really being lost.
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EDIT: From the box in the middle of the article:
Number of Restaurants on Church between Alexander and Wellesley: 26
Number of retail Stores: 27
Number of bars and clubs on the Church Street strip: 19
Anyone care to do a tally of the numbers today?
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dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
10 years later:
Number of Restaurants on Church between Alexander and Wellesley: 16 (didn't count donut shops, ice cream shop, coffee places etc.)
Number of retail stores: 36
Bars & Clubs on the Church Street strip*: 14
Empty retail/restaurant/bar spaces between Alexander & Wellesley: 5
This may not be exact, but it's pretty close based on walking the area today and trying to think of clubs in the Village area (Fly, Buddies in Bad Times etc.)
* does the "Church Street strip" run from Bloor to Esplanade? Could it mean in the Village "area"? It's a little ambiguous. I included all bars & clubs in the Village area (not including bath houses)
Torontovibe
Senior Member
The article was counting bars on Church Street, so Buddies and Fly should not be counted, as they are not on Church St. He was probably counting the area from Gerrard to Isabella.
dt_toronto_geek
Superstar
In terms of bars & clubs, (change of name or ownership at the same address excluded), I can only think of three bars on Church Street that have been lost in the past ten or so years, Crews & Tango, The Red Spot & Bar 501/Church Street Bar. The only gain that comes to mind is George's Place. Statlers and The Black Eagle merely switched locations. I'm not sure what goes on in the space next to Fuzion (Dundonald & Church) but walking by at night it seems to be a bar. So if I'm correct, we're only down one club.
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deerparker
Active Member
The space next to Fuzion - Voglie - should be counted as they regularly host dj nights.
drewp
Active Member
well as someone who has been in the scene for the last 10 years, I have seen many bars/restaurants come and go, and the reason is the gay scene gets bored of the same ol' stuff especially if it isn't hyped.
Businesses need to be marketed and promoted with a new party everynight.
Personally the Black Eagle is the best bar in the village....seedy and sexy.
Great porn too.
Businesses need to be marketed and promoted with a new party everynight.
Personally the Black Eagle is the best bar in the village....seedy and sexy.
Great porn too.
Roy G Biv
Senior Member
Well, chalk up another?
Statlers was "unable to open tonight" and even included a "Thank you for your patronage" at the end of the sign. There is cardboard on the windows.
Statlers was "unable to open tonight" and even included a "Thank you for your patronage" at the end of the sign. There is cardboard on the windows.
drewp
Active Member
We should have a pool to see what will close down next......My bet is YOGENFRUZ.........whats going on with tango/crews?
I have no idea and am curious what they are going to do with that space
I have no idea and am curious what they are going to do with that space
androiduk
Senior Member
^ There are currently at least 4 businesses for sale on the strip. 3 restaurants and an optical store.
threnody
Active Member
Oh no, without Yogenfruz where will all the sketchy kids go?
Jonny5
Senior Member
That really hurts! It was my first choice hangout ever since they moved to that location. I hope it's some temporary problem like a renovation or utilities issue. They were packed a lot of nights and some of the music and singers were fantastic.
We're going to be hosting World Pride in just a few years. I wonder if it could be used as leverage to get the city to unlock the dance club ban in the area. It would sure be embarassing to host it with the village in it's current state and with only small venues developed elsewhere. How many people are expected to come and for how long? We can't pack everyone into Fly and Buddies.
threnody
Active Member
I was just in there yesterday evening and it was fine. Perhaps it's something more mundane, like staffing issues? Bartenders hate the management and decided to quit en masse?
Jonny5
Senior Member
Well it wouldn't be the first time for that!
Roy G Biv
Senior Member
Nope.
They've done some ownership juggling recently, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was a staffing issue or something. Let's wait and see.
This is probably my favourite bar on Church (save for the terrible service), so I hope they reopen.