Edge Club and Lounge - Club AWOL

The Edge was known as the largest dance bar in the 2000s and was generally popular with a younger crowd. Before it was a gay bar, it was known as the Cave for many years, and when you look at the interior, with the dark stone nooks and crannies, you can easily see why.

It was called Club AWOL for a brief time first, then went straight again, before it finally settled as the Edge. The bar was divided into two main rooms. The lounge area was renovated a few times, but the theme of a red and black décor remained constant. There was more seating here and the music wasn't as loud so if you wanted to socialize more, this was the better place to be, though it was often quite empty.

The dance floor was sunken and quite large, and was the stage for weekly drag performances. Both Robin de Cradle and Jade London were house drag queens for a time here. There was a central DJ booth and a raised walkway along the wall where you could watch the crowd dance. Two bars served this area, though the staff had a reputation for being slow and frequently rude.

The bathrooms were arguably the worst feature of the bar. There was never any cold water (to discourage drug use) so your hands were practically scalded when washing them with the very hot water. After ten years in business, the Edge closed in December 2014.




212 Sparks Street, Ottawa, ON K1P 5C1