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Something MAJOR is going to happen within the next 24 hours, and this can either affect us positively, or something really bad is going to happen.
I, of course, am talking about our beloved Odyssey.
We all know what’s going on with that place. It was supposed to close in October, got an extension. Then again in December, got another extension, and finally in January, but it got a third extension to the end of April. At first I was so OVER it getting extensions, but that was because I worked for a competing club. After the first extension, I actually started to think about it.
The Odyssey is legendary. It is like the dive of all the dive’s, but its OUR dive! It doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not, you know what you’re getting when you walk in the door, and let’s face it; we’ve ALL hooked up with someone from there. God I remember back in the day when I was young and attractive, I was getting with a man every Thursday, Friday & Saturday (Does that make me seem like a slut?), and I don’t want it to go away.
Loading ...So what do we do? Well, instead of bitching about having no where to go (YES! I am guilty of it too), we need to do something and show our support! Tomorrow afternoon (Thursday March 26) at 2pm at CITY HALL, 3rd floor council chambers, there will be a council meeting regarding the new location.
We’ve all talked about how it’s going to lose what it has, and sure it will. But it will be something new, and something we can’t live without. We’ve only got the O and Celebrities left for good dance venues, we can’t lose either one of them! Quit bitching about the noise (because it REALLY won’t be that big of a deal) quit bitching about not having anywhere to go. If we don’t show our support we REALLY won’t have anywhere to go.
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Adam
March 25th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Haha.. i’m the only one who voted “new odyssey”… i’m a dork :)
John
March 25th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
So, what were saying is we need to keep the odyssey because its a dive that we’ve all hooked up on, and there is NO where else to go, yet we have at least three other venues at our disposal.
Celebrities isn’t a gay club. It’s a “gay accepting” club. Which is ridiculous because I don’t go to a gay club to feel like Im the odd man out. I’d go to my small town bar with its 4×6 dance floor for that.
Pulse has a lot of promise but no following. Yet. Numbers is the all around bar because anyone can go there.
I’m sorry, but I don’t WANT the old odyssey. What I want is a NEW Odyssey, a new odyssey that at least tries. for me walking into that place is like walking into some disgusting basement. It’s ALWAYS the last resort and as a young gay man I don’t find any comfort in the forced hard on of the stripper (no go go dancer) on the pole. It’s tacky.
The only thing worth going for is the drag shows and the bartenders. Keep them all! But move it into a venue that doesn’t reek like sweat and regret.
Using the excuse “I hooked up every thurs/fir/sat and Its a dive but its OUR dive” doesn’t help the cause, it makes it worse.
Make a point about how they odyssey helps with the community, how its apart of our culture, the amazing events it can have and will have, the performers who got their start there.
And the scare tactic of “we REALLY won’t have anywhere to go” is ridiculous. Just ask Oasis, Pulse, Numbers, 1181, PumpJack, Jupiter, Lick, i’m sure they have something to say about that.
Tommy D
March 25th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
john you’re not listening
tomorrow isnt to keep the OLD Odyssey
its to get a NEW one.
Jonny
March 25th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
I hope I can make it out as Will has been putting the bug in A LOT of ears (even offering bus rides) to and from the O to City Hall.
I love the O, always have. From Shower Power (with forced hard ons, agreed) Thursdays to the rest of the fun nights, I’ve really enjoyed it.
Mind you, you go to Seattle, Montreal, Toronto etc…and see many many more clubs. Which, Vancouver could benefit from with such a large LGBT community.
With that being said, we’ve got something special here that has to go. The difference is, it’s our turn to say where we want it TO go!
Dan
March 25th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
I’m sorry, I’m all for Numbers!
Robert
March 25th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Totally agree with John. It’s one thing to show support and express the desires of the community, but to save a place or support a venue because “we all hooked up there” is sort of setting us back a few steps. How are we supposed to rally for equal rights and support if our main argument to keep (or reopen in another location) a venue in which “we” use for sex?
I understand where your argument is coming from, but it really didn’t succeed in it’s message. Unfortunately, I no longer reside in Vancouver and will be unable to make tmrw’s rally, but I hope the message isn’t “Please Save the O, Otherwise Where Will We Get Laid?”
Best of luck.
topher
March 25th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Of course the message is “Save the O, or where will we get laid”. That’s the point of having a gay bar. Having an environment where it’s safe and kosher to hit on guys. If you go just to dance, you can dance anywhere. But Tommy’s right, this isn’t about saving the old O, it’s about having our say in what the new O will be. The west end businesses and the vancouver police doesn’t want a gay club in the denman neighborhood. And its up to us to convince the city that we won’t be a menace.
Objectively, I don’t agree with the police, there’s no good legal reason there can’t be a bar there, but I don’t agree that there should be a bar there. The new proposed site isn’t a great spot for a bar. There’s nowhere to eat after, everything around there is closed when the bar would let out. It would be super convenient for me, as I live in the west of denman, but I have to question if this is a good location. If you go out to denman, you’re sort of stuck at denman. There’s no where else to bar hop to.
I’m someone who likes change, so I’m glad to see that the O, or whatever the new incarnation will be called, is getting a makeover. Hopefully they get the location stuff sorted out
Tommy D
March 25th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Wow
people take everything so seriously. the hook up thing was like haha funny joke. guess i’m not as cheeky as i thought I Was.
from now on i will write without any personality to prevent any sort of mis-interpretation.
Don
March 25th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Tommy don’t stop writing cheeky just because some people don’t have a sense of humor, or can’t take something in the spirit in which it was written. :)
I have to admit I’m a bit mixed about the new location. It’s about the same distance from where I live and I’d rather stay in the west end than head down to granville or something, but I wonder if the people living in the neighborhood don’t have a valid concern. Even if the O management is able to successfully soundproof the new location as they’ve described, they still can’t control the noise people make outside.
I’m on the fence on this one. If they successfully convince the council to allow them to open there, I’ll be happy to go, but if not I’ll understand why and hope the O can scout out a better location.
Tim
March 25th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Be happy you have somewhere to even debate about whether to save haha. The O may be a dive but it is still the first gay bar I went to, met a lot of my now very good friends there (without hooking up :P) and it will be weird to visit Van without it.
I’ll try the new one when it opens. But I am a bit of a club whore so I’ll go wherever my friends tell me to
Lesley
March 26th, 2009 at 9:42 am
Oh boo hoo Tommy. If you can’t take criticism, you shouldn’t publish your opinions on a public website and, more importantly, allow comments. Isn’t the point of a blog to encourage discourse and debate? Not everyone is going to agree with you and I feel both of the gentlemen above expressed their opinions in a respectful and intelligent manner (rather than childishly saying, “boo, I’m mad!”).
Nonetheless, hope Homorazzi follows this story to it’s conclusion.
Blair Smith
March 26th, 2009 at 10:49 am
The getting laid part I thought WAS funny. This decision of Council today is about what kind of a city we want to live in. I will be there to speak, and look forward to a lively afternoon. This is democracy, show up or be left uncounted.
Thanks to everyone who has written, called faxed, etc.
I’ll be at 1181 for drinks later on either way! -Blair
Tommy D
March 26th, 2009 at 11:46 am
HAHAHA
OHHHhhh Lesley, if you ACTUALLY think I am totally serious about having my feelings hurt by someone’s comments regarding a post, you are seriously mistaken.
Honey, I like this stuff. It makes it fun! I’m all about debate and other ideas.
How BORING would this place be if everyone agreed with me…well I know I would love it, but that’s just cause I’m a self centered ego maniac!
BRING IT ON!
Tommy D
March 26th, 2009 at 11:48 am
I think I’m just goign to start every sentence I mean sarcastically with **SARCASM** just so people get it.
Lesley
March 26th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Excellent! I apologize if I misunderstood your response. I hope you’re at city council today, speaking loud (and sarcastically) for those of us unable to be there.
Would it be possible to post mail/email info as to where I contact city council, as I now live in Toronto.
As for you Tommy, i enjoyed your Lady Gaga post, as well as your Kristine W one, you remind me of a thinner, less-annoying Perez.
Tommy D
March 26th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
YOURE NEVER GOING TO BELIEVE THIS!
I WAS GONNA GO AND THEN COULDNT LAST MINUTE!
Something happened and I couldn’t leave my desk…i’m like fuming right now!
And thank you..I am SO much thinner than perez…but less anoying who knows!
MUCH LOVE!
Mike
March 26th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Hey Tommy, write the way you feel. You have to take the bad with the good, don’t let some comments change the way you are or how you do things.
Grow from this.
Mike
March 26th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
^ I loved your post btw.
Blair Smith
March 27th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
You were lucky that you WEREN’T at City Hall yesterday. Council changed the agenda to move a hour hearing prior to us, then delayed our hearing part way through, then deferred to another date to finish. It was hugely boring and disappointing. There was great support, but they didn’t get to be heard, and hopefully can make it next time, TBA. We live to fight another day.
Dinosaur
March 27th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
EVERYONE!
After not coming to a decision last night, they will continue at City Hall on the 9th of April. Everyone that spoke last night were against the move, and everyone LEFT to speak on the 9th are going to be FOR, so the last points they will be hearing will be ones in favour, which might work to the Odyssey’s advantage.
I think everyone who wants to make a difference and/or can’t make it on the 9th should read this:
http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20090326/documents/pe3_DenmanSt.pdf
and write an email (respectively people, this could make a serious difference) in response to it to:
mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca
My email stated concerns about the proposed 2am shutdown, which to me just doesn’t make sense. They’re reason for doing this is to subside the neighbours concerns about late night noise BUT a 2am close would mean even MORE people dumped onto the streets than a 3am close. Also this is following the same format they would use as a “testing period” for new businesses even though the Odyssey is a proven 20+ years business and doesn’t need to be coddled. It’s not that fair.
Anyways, there’s a real chance the more e-mails could make a difference so I really hope if you have a few minutes, you’ll read and write. :)
Thanx guys.
Tommy D
March 27th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
Thanks Dinosaur!
Will @ the O
March 27th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Wow! I love that someone beat me to the release of the information above!
So just to make it official, Dinosaur is correct — no decision was made on March 26 and the rest of the meeting has been kicked back to April 9th. The link provided above gives a bit of background about the information City Council has been provided with by staff, but what it doesn’t (and can’t) speak to, are the realities of what the “opposed” speakers, most of whom have never been anywhere *near* the Odyssey, actually voiced to council at this last meeting as fears about having us located near them.
Among the serious concerns raised multiple times were, (and I’m using their words here): an increase in shootings, prostitution, urination, public drug use, and in one case, the appearance of “bodies under tarps” in front of the building. I can only assume this last one refers to body bags and not some new sexual proclivity I have yet to hear about.
The frustrating thing was not that simple fact these claims were *made*–clearly they are the product of poorly informed
residents and fear. The really infuriating part is that no one from the VPD or City Staff uttered a peep to correct the clearly false picture of our community which was painted, and City Council did not question these claims.
I understand that our elected officials are intelligent people, and that they’re typically able to recognize bullsh*t when they see it, but if anyone besides me feels the need to redeem the near flawless 22 year record of The Odyssey and its patrons in terms of the issues mentioned above, I seriously urge them to send a respectful email to mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca to let their views be heard. In an age where nightclub violence seems to erupt more and more frequently, even on Davie Street, it’s undeniable that The Odyssey, no matter *how* you feel about it, is one of the few truly safe spaces left in the neighbourhood. I think it deserves to be recognized as such.
We’ll certainly keep you posted on this as it develops. A huge thanks to everyone who showed up on the 26th, and anyone who is able to attend on April 9th.
See you all at the O
:)