Movg To LGBT Ottawa, Ontar? How To Fd Your Perfect Gay Neighborhood!

Contents:

• A COMPREHENSIVE GAY GUI TO OTTAWA, ONTAR
• OTTAWA TRODUC FIRST 'GAY VILLAGE'
• GAY OTTAWA
• MOVG TO LGBT OTTAWA, ONTAR? HOW TO FD YOUR PERFECT GAY NEIGHBORHOOD!
• GAY OTTAWA · MID-RANGE HOTELS
• CALLS TO REGNIZE OTTAWA'S GAY VILLAGE

A COMPREHENSIVE GAY GUI TO OTTAWA, ONTAR

As Ottawa is pal of one of the most progrsively gay-iendly untri the Wtern Hemisphere, 's not surprisg that the cy has a sizable GLBT muny. You won't fd the r party scene more typil of Montreal and Toronto, but there are a handful of fun gay bars, not to mentn a great variety of hip rtrants and loung terg to a mixed bunch.

OTTAWA TRODUC FIRST 'GAY VILLAGE'

Follow Bank Street south of Parliament Hill for about 10 blocks, and you'll fd yourself the heart of Ottawa's Gay Village. The roughly six-block span of Bank Street (and to a lser extent O'Connor Street) between Somerset and Gladstone mak up the heart of this GLBT hub, which has jt one gay bar but several shops, rtrants, and f wh strong muny ti. Plenty of lols assert that "Gay Village" is somethg of a misnomer given how eclectic the aforementned Bank Street area is, and also takg to nsiratn how geographilly diffe the cy's GLBT muny is.

GAY OTTAWA

There's a noticeable gay prence, both terms of nightlife and dg, the lively and hip Byward Market district, on the northeast si of downtown, jt across the Ri Canal om Parliament Hill. Some of Ottawa's gay nightspots are right the center of downtown, jt blocks om Parliament Hill. Other good bets clu the Bank Street Gay Village, the trendy stretch of eateri a few blocks east of the Village on Elg Street, the lively Glebe area, and Wtboro Village.

In the Gay Village, the '50s-spired Bramasole Der is a reliable bet for hearty breakfast, burgers, shak, and siar short-orr fare. The Bank Street lotn the Gay Village is enormoly popular (and hoists the old rabow flag proudly). Also nsir the amgly named Kki Asian Fn rtrant, which is beneath the Lookout gay bar; and the Japane rtrant Wasabi, which serv excellent shi.

A short drive wt of downtown, Wtboro Village has a handful of very good rtrants, cludg a uple of gay fav: Canvas Retso-Bar, which has a cute pat out ont and a zy dg room where you might try foie gras wh warm pear and pen salad, thyme-roasted Cornish hen, polenta and prawns, and other treats sourced mostly wh lol and anic gredients; and Foolish Chicken, a quirky and laid-back spot si a vaguely chalet-spired hoe servg barbecue chicken and ribs, pulled pork sandwich, and richly creamy cheek. Bt Hotels for Gay Travelers. Most of Ottawa's bt hotels are or near downtown, close to lol gay nightlife, top rtrants, and engagg attractns.

MOVG TO LGBT OTTAWA, ONTAR? HOW TO FD YOUR PERFECT GAY NEIGHBORHOOD!

A major sponsor of the annual Ottawa Gay Pri ftival Augt, the stylish ARC Hotel is an upsle boutique property wh 112 rooms and surprisgly reasonable rat. Ottawa may not have a huge number of gay bars, but the on you'll fd here are fun, iendly, and great neighborhoods - close to downtown (and the cy's bt hotels), and also wh an easy stroll of many good rtrants. Packed wh chic bars and buzzg nightclubs, the ByWard Market district also has one very popular gay hangout, the Lookout Bar, which occupi the upper level of a vtage redbrick buildg.

GAY OTTAWA · MID-RANGE HOTELS

There are a few gay nightspots downtown, cludg a welg, iendly bar lled Swizzl, which serv up karaoke, baret, and other entertament. It's known to pull a mix of lbians, gay men, and heteros.

In the Gay Village on Bank Street, One In Ten rri a huge selectn of gay porn, toys, and eroti and also has a backroom X-rated movie theater.

OttawaOttawa has s first official "Gay Village" after a downtown uncillor put the fal touch on a six-year has a 'Gay Village'A stretch of Bank Street Centretown Ottawa is now emed the cy's "Gay Village. "Ottawa has s first official "Gay Village" after a downtown uncillor put the fal touch on a six-year whe signs wh a rabow logo are now posted along Bank Street between Nepean and Jam Street Centretown wh the words "The Village.

CALLS TO REGNIZE OTTAWA'S GAY VILLAGE

Diane Holm orred the signs, which were stalled late last week, after she nducted her own survey on the Crawford appld the cy after years of batg for followg through on the Gay Village signatn for Bank Street Centretown Ottawa. "Lol groups look to rencile and move onCrawford's mtee has clashed wh the Bank Street Bs Improvement Area, which opposed the gay village BIA's executive director has spoken out agast the ia of a village. OTTAWA’S GAY VILLAGE on Bank Street is now officially regnized.

The six signs mark the end of a challengg chapter the gay muny’s fight for visibily the cy and new opportuni for s growth.

Although Bank Street has hoed gay-iendly bs for years, Glenn Crawford, chair of the Village Comm- tee, said the formal signatn is an important one. “For the vast majory of the populatn who may never thk about gay and lbian issu at all, havg that space beg signated as gay and lbian— markg that terrory some way— may be hugely important, ” he said. Ottawa’s gay village: The next Montreal or Toronto?

The cy of Montreal has marketed s village as a tourist statn, and the space has bee popular among both the gay and straight muny the cy, acrdg to Ray. On Ftival Weekend, the tersectn of Bank Street and Somerset Street Wt, the centre of Ottawa's Gay Village, be an entertament hub wh live mic, a muny fair and a beer garn. Canada’s pal is a lively place, makg Ottawa a favore statn for gay people om around the untry.