Toronto live music venue, record store and performance space Faith/Void has announced it will close its doors in February.
As NOW reports, the news was confirmed by S.H.I.T. vocalist and Faith/Void owner/operator Ryan Tong during a live performance in the space late last month (December 30).
While Faith/Void will not host any more shows, the space will remain open until the final week of February.
Tong told NOW that the decision to close was made in the wake of being served a noise bylaw violation, stemming from complaints made by tenants in an adjoining building.
"The thing that I was most frustrated about was the fact that I had been operating and doing what I do for the past three years," Tong said. "I've been a part of this neighbourhood and been operating with little to no complaints from any of my neighbours or any of the other businesses, and have had no formal complaints at all."
He continued, "I was told that these tenants were allowed to make noise logs and submit it to the city and that these noise logs could be used as evidence to prosecute me, which also put a lot of pressure on me. I didn't know what the fines would be like, when they would happen, if they would happen, if there was anyone at the city who could help me."
Tong revealed that he had reached out to Toronto Music Sector development officer Mike Tanner, who "seemed very willing to help and very interested in what was going on," though the two eventually lost touch.
By the time an associate of Tanner's followed up last month, Tong had made the decision to exit the lease.
"My interest in using this space for what I've been using it for the past three years has been to facilitate for a community, and to create a space where things could happen for that community," Tong told NOW. "The shop itself was just a way to financially sustain and support that space and without the ability to have these events and use it as a community space, to me it loses its purpose."
Faith/Void is the latest in a line of Toronto music venues and performance spaces to announce closures. Last year, the city's Parts & Labour, Double Double Land and Coalition all announced plans to shut down.
As NOW reports, the news was confirmed by S.H.I.T. vocalist and Faith/Void owner/operator Ryan Tong during a live performance in the space late last month (December 30).
While Faith/Void will not host any more shows, the space will remain open until the final week of February.
Tong told NOW that the decision to close was made in the wake of being served a noise bylaw violation, stemming from complaints made by tenants in an adjoining building.
"The thing that I was most frustrated about was the fact that I had been operating and doing what I do for the past three years," Tong said. "I've been a part of this neighbourhood and been operating with little to no complaints from any of my neighbours or any of the other businesses, and have had no formal complaints at all."
He continued, "I was told that these tenants were allowed to make noise logs and submit it to the city and that these noise logs could be used as evidence to prosecute me, which also put a lot of pressure on me. I didn't know what the fines would be like, when they would happen, if they would happen, if there was anyone at the city who could help me."
Tong revealed that he had reached out to Toronto Music Sector development officer Mike Tanner, who "seemed very willing to help and very interested in what was going on," though the two eventually lost touch.
By the time an associate of Tanner's followed up last month, Tong had made the decision to exit the lease.
"My interest in using this space for what I've been using it for the past three years has been to facilitate for a community, and to create a space where things could happen for that community," Tong told NOW. "The shop itself was just a way to financially sustain and support that space and without the ability to have these events and use it as a community space, to me it loses its purpose."
Faith/Void is the latest in a line of Toronto music venues and performance spaces to announce closures. Last year, the city's Parts & Labour, Double Double Land and Coalition all announced plans to shut down.
