(top) Mitz's Cafe & Gallery, 100 Sorauren Avenue, Parkdale QWV Toronto, taken by Michel François Paré. © Copyright 2009
Gang of Souls, April 5, 2009. Researchers from the Department of Geography at Brock University in St. Catherine's, are working on a $65, 351 dollar study of queer west Toronto.
Part of Toronto's fast growing gay and lesbian population, began splitting away from the traditional village on Church St., in the late 1980's some joining their queer brothers and sisters in the east end (Leslieville) and majority moving to the west end Toronto City Wards 13, 14,18, 19 and 20. A network of communities where the Gay and Lesbian community is completely and seamlessly integrated without having to isolate or group themselves in one neighbourhood. This new queer village is more of an attitude than an identity; new and radical, and has a thriving underground gay scene. The residents are a mix of gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered and hetrosexual gay friendly. Toronto's queer west village is not so much a part of the city as a collection of small villages; Little Italy, Little Portugal, Parkdale, Liberty Village, West Queen West (Soho), and Roncesvalles Village.
The team are looking at the social, political and economic implications back to WW II on the formation of new queer neighbourhoods that sprang up in the last 20 years, between ( east to west) Roncesvalles Avenue to Spadina and ( north to south) Bloor Street West to Gardiner Expressway.
Project is Titled: "Leaving the gaybourhood: Queer politics in Toronto" (2008-2011)
There was study was done on Gay Toronto in 2005 titled Gay politics and ethnic minorities: The struggle for gay identity in Toronto in the late 1970s’ Gender, Place and Culture. and in 2006 ‘Toronto’s gay village (1969 to 1982). Plotting the politics of gay identity.’ Author: Catherine J. Nash
Brock's research team is currently in the field, tape-recording and interviewing area residents and LGBTQ community groups for demographic information (age, self-identity, ‘race/ethnicity’; income and education; place of residence). There are gender/sexuality questions to reflect current political thinking in terms of categories and self-identification.
The Team is also interested on how local businesses see ‘queers’ in neighbourhood.
This spring and summer the researchers will be fanning out, across west end neighbourhoods, talking owners of queer friendly cafes, bars, restaurents, shops and galleries. Following that, the Brock research team will hold round-table sessions (1-14 people) for a free-wheeling conversation about the annual Queer West Festival.
This looks like an important reasearch study, not only for gay Toronto, but urban planners, researchers, businesses and the Toronto queer community.
See also: Toronto's other gaybourhood shows its stripes with Queer West Fest by CP24.com
http://queerinthecity-toronto.blogspot.com/2009/06/torontos-other-gaybourhood-shows-its.html
Results from this Survey will be made Available On Request in 2011, although subject to Queer West, Board of Directors approval
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