The Mission and Vision of the Village

The Village marching in the 2008 Capital Pride parade

Mission

Our mission is to nurture, grow and maintain a gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans-friendly Village in Ottawa’s downtown core, roughly covering a six by two block area surrounding Bank Street, from Nepean to James Streets (north to south) and Kent and O’Connor Streets (west to east).

To achieve this goal, we plan to:

• have official Village street signs within the Village area;
• purchase rainbow flags to be placed on supporting businesses and organizations in the Village area;
• beautify and enrich Bank Street with GLBT-themed public art in the Village area;
• offer support and foster partnerships with existing businesses and organizations that provide vital services to our community and our allies;
• encourage growth by offering incentives for other businesses and services to open in the Village; and
• maintain the Village area once signage is in place.

Vision

We envision a Village that supports the culture and diversity of Ottawa, especially of the GLBT community and our allies. We understand a Village will:

• by supporting the businesses and organizations that serve our community, improve the health and well-being of all GLBT persons;
• create a tourist destination that will further support and nurture the Village area, making it a more exciting and dynamic neighbourhood;
• support existing businesses and organizations in the Village and encourage growth, protecting them from closure;
• create a safe space for GLBT people who work, live and play in the area; and,
• demonstrate that the GLBT population is a valued part of Ottawa’s overall community.