[DTowner]

A good article on a brief wrap from the Church Wellesley Neighbourhood Association's meeting on Monday Dec. 12th covering neighbourhood issues and concerns including over to it's eastern boundary on the east side of Yonge Street, from the north side of Carlton to the south side of Charles Street.
Unfortunately the benches in front of the Alexus condo on Alexander Street (mentioned above) had to be removed because of rising crime issues.

http://www.xtra.ca/public/Toronto/Girding_for_change_to_Church_St-11232.aspx?mid=553341

“They may need a bit of a welcome,†he says. “You could find ways to establish a straight-friendly environment.â€


Uh-oh.

 

[androiduk]

The more highrises go up in the area, the quainter the Village looks. I think it's only a matter of time until it gets some kind of designation. The catalyst would probably come when someone wants to put up a 50 storey tower right on Church between Alexander & Gloucester.

 

[DTowner]

I think the catalyst will be if they put one up in the parking lot behind O'Grady's/next to Crews & Tango. There was a rumour that when Crews closed down (the first time) the whole lot (including Crews) would be torn down or made a façade and a condo built.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

The more highrises go up in the area, the quainter the Village looks. I think it's only a matter of time until it gets some kind of designation. The catalyst would probably come when someone wants to put up a 50 storey tower right on Church between Alexander & Gloucester.

There's a project brewing on the south-east corner of Wellesley & Church. 77 Wellesley and 81 Wellesley E. would be demolished (77 Wellesley is that charming 4-storey apartment building with Priape/7&24 Video/Hero Burger & The Wine Rack in it and 81 Wellesley is Odette House to the east with the matching coach house out back that used to be used as a support centre for cancer survivors) to build a condo tower with retail but that's a frighteningly huge footprint there with those properties combined. Neither of the three properties are designated. Yet.

I think the catalyst will be if they put one up in the parking lot behind O'Grady's/next to Crews & Tango. There was a rumour that when Crews closed down (the first time) the whole lot (including Crews) would be torn down or made a façade and a condo built.

I've been hearing that rumour since I moved into the Alexus condo next door in 1998. The only holdout to develop that whole block was the owner of what is now "George's Play", and he finally sold a year or two ago. A mid-rise has always been the rumour here, perhaps similar to the Alexus in height however the loss of those buildings and businesses would be catastrophic to the heart of the Village.

 

[Tewder]

There's a project brewing on the south-east corner of Wellesley & Church. 77 Wellesley and 81 Wellesley E. would be demolished (77 Wellesley is that charming 4-storey apartment building with Priape/7&24 Video/Hero Burger & The Wine Rack in it and 81 Wellesley is Odette House to the east with the matching coach house out back that used to be used as a support centre for cancer survivors) to build a condo tower with retail but that's a frighteningly huge footprint there with those properties combined. Neither of the three properties are designated. Yet.

That would be a shame. Much of the commercial core of the village has already been destroyed and replaced with rather insipid in-fill, and what remains looks to be in pretty bad shape... and not that it was much better in busier days gone by. A 'village' identity for this little strip always felt more like a state of mind really than anything else.

Seems to me the Church/Wellesley node is sort of at a crossroads, in a post-gay era it is either going to plow on with big development or hunker down with some version of heritage district preservation. At some point it is going to have to make up its mind.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

Wasn't that why the 'steps' were removed too? Seems like a silly way to address the problem. They want people to gather but they don't. Well which is it?

It was, too much riff raff, damage to property, garbage strewn about and eventually, people would not patronize the businesses near the steps. The other reason was a Human Rights complaint about the businesses in this building not being accessible so a ramp was built.
Here's a piece that expands on the Church & Alexander benches - http://www.xtra.ca/public/Toronto/U...gestions_for_ChurchAlexander_space-11145.aspx

Seems to me the Church/Wellesley node is sort of at a crossroads, in a post-gay era it is either going to plow on with big development or hunker down with some version of heritage district preservation. At some point it is going to have to make up its mind.

The way forward with the Neighbourhood Association working with the BIA is to get it designated as a heritage district. There are also plans for beautification, studies to be conducted on what brings people to the Village, what their impressions are, what they want when they come here and so on. This is a young Association, it only just got incorporated but the membership is extremely motivated to make things happen, but things take time.

 

[Torontovibe]

The removal of the benches had nothing to do with drug dealers or prostitutes. That was just a convenient excuse to get rid of the gay men who socialize in that area. The residents of the Alexus do not want people sitting on the sidewalks/benches outside their condo and the BIA does not want anybody in the Village unless they are sitting in a bar or cafe, spending lots of money. Don't be so naive to think that this city's sidewalks belong to you. They belong to the people who own the businesses and condos along Church Street. If you have no money to spend, stay the hell off Church Street. There is even talk of moving the Alexander Wood statue, probably to some dark corner, behind the 519, where nobody will see it.

Has anybody seen how ugly and harsh the glare is off the new lighting, outside the Alexus? They couldn't have put in anything more damaging if they tried. If that doesn't scare off the queens, I don't know what will. Then again, maybe putting the Bixi stand, right along the ledge, where everyone used to sit, might just do the trick.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

The removal of the benches had nothing to do with drug dealers or prostitutes. That was just a convenient excuse to get rid of the gay men who socialize in that area. The residents of the Alexus do not want people sitting on the sidewalks/benches outside their condo and the BIA does not want anybody in the Village unless they are sitting in a bar or cafe, spending lots of money. Don't be so naive to think that this city's sidewalks belong to you. They belong to the people who own the businesses and condos along Church Street. If you have no money to spend, stay the hell off Church Street. There is even talk of moving the Alexander Wood statue, probably to some dark corner, behind the 519, where nobody will see it.

Has anybody seen how ugly and harsh the glare is off the new lighting, outside the Alexus? They couldn't have put in anything more damaging if they tried. If that doesn't scare off the queens, I don't know what will. Then again, maybe putting the Bixi stand, right along the ledge, where everyone used to sit, might just do the trick.

I lived in the Alexus for five years when it opened, the benches (indeed, set back onto the Alexus/Greenwin property line) had no resident opposition in fact the general feeling seemed to be that they and the folks who populated that area were quite welcome. That probably changed given the problems that began as the troublemakers found a home in that area. I didn't sit out there last summer but previous summer evenings I'd often sit on the benches with a friend/friends and hangout with a coffee and I could see that the types of night creatures hanging out and walking by had really changed since when I lived there and although trouble was not frequent, it wasn't uncommon either.
It's a shame because there aren't a lot of places where one can sit outside in the Village and watch the night pass on by, the benches and concrete footprint along the south side of the building provided a premium area to do so.
The new lighting on the building and cameras are an attempt to add a feeling of safety to the residents who live along this stretch of Alexander Street, permanent and attractive solutions are being pursued by the City Councillor.

 

[Torontovibe]

I lived in the Alexus for five years when it opened, the benches (indeed, set back onto the Alexus/Greenwin property line) had no resident opposition in fact the general feeling seemed to be that they and the folks who populated that area were quite welcome. That probably changed given the problems that began as the troublemakers found a home in that area. I didn't sit out there last summer but previous summer evenings I'd often sit on the benches with a friend/friends and hangout with a coffee and I could see that the types of night creatures hanging out and walking by had really changed since when I lived there and although trouble was not frequent, it wasn't uncommon either.
It's a shame because there aren't a lot of places where one can sit outside in the Village and watch the night pass on by, the benches and concrete footprint along the south side of the building provided a premium area to do so.
The new lighting on the building and cameras are an attempt to add a feeling of safety to the residents who live along this stretch of Alexander Street, permanent and attractive solutions are being pursued by the City Councillor.

That's funny, I hang out there all the time with my friends and I have never seen any trouble there. I haven't even seen prostitutes or drug dealers, so I don't know what the hell these people are talking about, unless they think I'm a 50 year old prostitute but at my age, I'm lucky if I can give it away, never mind sell it. I wish somebody at The Alexis would point out the crack dealers and whores because my whoredar just ain't working. Hell, I haven't seen a rent boy around the Village in ages. Back in the 80's that area was crawling with guys working the streets but not now.

And since when do male whores need a bench to conduct business? The alley-way behind the Alexus would be much more conducive to business. I call it, like I see it, and this one is BULL-SHIT! I called Kristyn and told her so.

 

[Torontovibe]

I lived in the Alexus for five years when it opened, the benches (indeed, set back onto the Alexus/Greenwin property line) had no resident opposition in fact the general feeling seemed to be that they and the folks who populated that area were quite welcome. That probably changed given the problems that began as the troublemakers found a home in that area. I didn't sit out there last summer but previous summer evenings I'd often sit on the benches with a friend/friends and hangout with a coffee and I could see that the types of night creatures hanging out and walking by had really changed since when I lived there and although trouble was not frequent, it wasn't uncommon either.
It's a shame because there aren't a lot of places where one can sit outside in the Village and watch the night pass on by, the benches and concrete footprint along the south side of the building provided a premium area to do so.
The new lighting on the building and cameras are an attempt to add a feeling of safety to the residents who live along this stretch of Alexander Street, permanent and attractive solutions are being pursued by the City Councillor.

That's funny, I hang out there all the time with my friends and I have never seen any trouble there. I haven't even seen prostitutes or drug dealers, so I don't know what the hell these people are talking about, unless they think I'm a 50 year old prostitute but at my age, I'm lucky if I can give it away, never mind sell it. I wish somebody at The Alexus would point out the crack dealers and whores because my whoredar just ain't working. Hell, I haven't seen a rent boy around the Village in ages. Back in the 80's that area was crawling with guys working the streets but not now.

And since when do male whores need a bench to conduct business? The alley-way behind the Alexus would be much more conducive to business. I call it, like I see it, and this one is BULL-SHIT! I called Kristyn and told her so.

 

[Jonny5]

Hell, I haven't seen a rent boy around the Village in ages. Back in the 80's that area was crawling with guys working the streets but not now.

I agree. Even Queen's Park seems quiet these days. It's like they all grew up!

 

[Torontovibe]

I agree. Even Queen's Park seems quiet these days. It's like they all grew up!

The internet has changed everything about gay life, from prostitution, to drugs, cruising and even nightlife. It killed the bar scene and maybe the whole village is the next thing to go. We got our rights but lost a whole lot along the way.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

That's funny, I hang out there all the time with my friends and I have never seen any trouble there. I haven't even seen prostitutes or drug dealers, so I don't know what the hell these people are talking about...

You've never had anyone here (including in front of Timothy's) aggressively hassle you or your friends for money, a cigarette, try to sell you crap, had a scruffy looking fellow sit/stand next to you & chat you up, had crap thrown at you when the light turns green at Church Street, street fights at or near one of the corners there? I've seen all of this and much more. I even had two street kids with scrambled brains try to steal my dog from me who was tied up to the bench handle right next to me with a dozen or so people around, I was sure that I was going to have to physically fight them to protect my dog but I went ballistic and they left in fairly short order. I don't know how you miss this stuff. I gave up sitting there on nice summer evenings, it just didn't make for a relaxing, pleasant few hours when there was perhaps a 1 in 3 shot of some odd event happening there any given evening.

 

[canmark]

According to the Star, the Glad Day book store is up for sale: http://www.thestar.com/living/article/1107103

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

It's been up for sale for a couple of years, probably not formally though. A friend of mine looked into buying it (or it's contents) but he didn't move forward on it. Sadly, there's not a bright future out there for books, or bookstores.
Next year most major record labels will cease pressing CD's and as eReaders & tablets become more and more popular I think it's the beginning of the end for magazines and books too.