West Toronto has been a lonely place for last 100 years for the LGBTTIQ community. Leaving gays and lesbians in limbo with no way to connect to other like minded people that live in the west end neighbourhoods.

Many live in isolation and do not have access to local gay newspapers, friendly gay hangouts or the Internet. Some, in desperation, have been resorting to public parks, want ads, message boards, chat rooms, phone lines and long trips to the downtown scene, but were never really satisfied.

In 2000 a gay organizer and 30-year-activist came into the picture. He saw that there were little pockets of gay owned businesses and gay positive spaces in the west end that not many people knew about. He set about pulling them all together to create a lasting gay community, where all work together to support each other.

Not many understood his long ranged vision and most said it couldn't be done, especially with the downtown gay village so close at hand. It was said that no one would be interested.

Volunteers visited local businesses and organizations to tell them that a new gay community was being founded.

One small social group was started called Temenos West in 2000. Temenos is Greek word for sacred space, as group was meeting in a church.

In the next six months, volunteers posted bulletins in West end neighbourhoods, handed out flyers in parks, ran ads in newspapers and created a website to promote the new community.

A Club Builders Team was formed (Steering Committee) to foster other community groups through a Community Partner Network. These are either clubs founded by Gay West or umbrella groups that are all run independently, so if one folds it doesn't leave a void as it has in the past.

Surprisingly Queer West Toronto, is coming together without a central gay bar strip. This begs the question, "Are gay bars necessary for gay communities to exist?". Apparently not. Queer West Toronto is a very unique community. There are lots of gay friendly bars, cafes, shops and restaurants in west end neighbourhoods, where we can meet, shop or socialize. He thought up the name "Queer West Village" in 2002 to call our neighbourhood, people laughed. But the new Queer West Village is about being an inclusive community where all sexualities are welcome, not a row of gay bars. Now in 2008 QWV is international recognized as Toronto's second gay village

A foundation has been established. Slowly the new West End Queer Community is coming together, one gay, lesbian and straight person at a time from volunteers to businesses. Michael Paré founder of the Gay West Community Network notes, "A foundation has been established. Slowly the new west-end queer community is coming together, one gay, lesbian and straight person at a time. Toronto's population is growing daily and the boundaries are moving outwards. It's not inconceivable that other gay villages will soon be founded."

Gay West Community Network Inc. was approved as a charity April 7, 2008 - Ontario Corporation Number 175269. It is now Governed by a Board of Directors: Shani Betz, John Colautti, Matthew Cutler, Bryen Dunn, Gilbert Estephan, Nathaniel Fuks, Warren Kennedy, Catherine Jean Nash and Michel François Paré .

Our Incorporation Objectives:
To produce performing arts festivals for the purposes of educating and advancing the public’s understanding and appreciation of performing arts and to educate artists through participation in such festivals and related workshops. and outreach programming for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, transsexual, questioning and two-spirited (queer community).

Our network provides educational workshops, community events, and public forums. Our mandate will be to work with all members of the community, including youth, seniors, disadvantaged, and unemployed to provide the necessary counseling and services needed.

There are exciting times ahead for the new queer community in west central Toronto, Ontario

Our Mission Statement

The mission of Gay West Community Network is to achieve respect and equality within a supportive environment, it responds to the needs of the local neighbourhood and the broader Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTTQ) communities in West Toronto Ontario.

Vision Statement

Our vision is a community that promotes positive attitudes and eliminates discrimination toward people of all sexual orientations; Inspires change through positive educational effort. Provides social, recreational and cultural opportunities for our members and the larger community.

We will set out to produce performing arts festivals for the purposes of educating and advancing the public’s understanding and appreciation of performing arts and to educate artists through participation in such festivals and related workshops.

Our Centre’s long-term goals:

• improve operations/management;
• ensure quality programming;
• elect a board of directors;
• procure the funds necessary for maintenance and growth of the organization; Moving from an office without walls, to a small permanent space someday;
• increase the number and frequency of collaborative relationships with organizations and businesses within our borders;
• improve communications with organizations, businesses, and the community within our borders;
• address issues of diversity to better serve and represent all races, people with disabilities, seniors, the deaf and hard of hearing community, and people of all economic levels within our borders;;
• and enhance visibility of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals and issues. Community Networking