End of an Era

An Edmonton GLBT institution is closing its doors on September 22, and our community will not be the same.

Located on 106 St, the junction is the fourth and final instalment of gay bars at this location, and it was as the junction that this space captured the essence of community. The bars that went before: Club 70, the Cha Cha Palace and the long-lived Boots n Saddle (or, simply, Boots) all were wonderful additions to our community and our history, but as the junction, this little bar on 106 St became something else.

In 2010, when Boots closed its doors, Prism owners Deborah Chymyshyn and Tracey Smith decided to take advantage of this opportunity to create something wonderful for Edmonton's gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and allied community. In joining Boots with Prism, their goal was a simple one: to create a space where we can all "be" together and enjoy good food, drink and each others company. It is a place where we can remember who we are and how far we've come, celebrate this time in our lives, and build a strong community "together" based on respect, acceptance and love. As Deborah says, the vision was is to create in this space what we want to experience in the world.

And for two years, that vision was true. All aspects of our community found a place here: bears and queens and womyn and crossdressers and lesbians and cougars and twinks, students and athletes and professionals... People could come with their family, and create an even greater family. They could come with friends, and leave with more friends. They could come by themselves, and leave a part of something bigger.

But that vision has come to a close. The landlord is gutting the building, and these two women with their simple dream are moving on to new adventures. The flame that was the junction has gone out, and even though we will all keep part of that flame burning in our memories, it will be a different community. Over the past two years, any number of community groups have met, socialized, and fundraised in that space. Groups like the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Wild Rose, Womonspace, the Pride Centre, OUTreach, inQUEERies, Illusions, Team Edmonton, and many more have all had wonderful successes in this space, and now that space is gone.

Our community is resilient. New homes will be found, new watering holes, new venues to party and fundraise at, but none will be the same as that little bar. With the closing of the junction on September 22, a piece of Edmonton history ends. For forty-three years, there has been a haven for Edmonton's gay community within those walls, a place where they could be safe, be free, be themselves.

All that can be done now is hope that that spirit of respect, acceptance, and love that burned so brightly so briefly will keep us warm and together in the coming months. We are grateful for our time together, and as we part, we are stronger because of a little bar, two great ladies, and a community that truly and deeply cares.