The fight for historic Hanlan's
Some are celebrating the scuttling of a concert venue next to the beach, but activists say dangers remain
TORONTO—In a mere matter of days in late February, an intense grassroots campaign sunk a controversial plan by the City of Toronto to erect a concert and festival venue right next to Hanlan’s Point Beach, one of only two official clothing optional public beaches in Canada and an almost sacred spot for the local LGBTQ community.
While users of the beach out on Lake Ontario are celebrating that victory, organizers with the Hands Off Hanlan’s coalition say the nude and queer space isn’t out of danger yet. Most media coverage has focused on the venue proposal and its quick death after exposure to public scrutiny, but other city plans still in the works include cutting the beach in half, potentially putting its future in jeopardy.
Furthermore, friends of Hanlan’s Point say the city’s consultation process has been poorly executed at be…
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Planet Nude to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.