The Triangle Bar, a staple of the LGBTQ+ community in Denver for over 40 years, closed its doors effective immediately, citing the surrounding encampments as the reason for the closure.
“The ever-expanding encampments have surrounded and suffocated the businesses in our neighbourhood,” said Jarred McClain, manager at The Triangle Bar to 9News “And it is heartbreaking.”
McClain said that the bar had seen a dramatic drop in customers in recent months, with many people saying that they felt unsafe coming to the area due to the encampments.
“The Triangle Bar was more than just a bar,” McClain said. “It was a community center. It was a place where people could come to be themselves and to feel safe and accepted.”
The closure of the Triangle Bar is also a reminder of the challenges that people living in encampments face. Many people in encampments are experiencing homelessness and poverty, and they often face discrimination and violence.
“We need to do more to help people living in encampments,” McClain said. “We need to provide them with housing and support services. We also need to address the root causes of homelessness, such as poverty and lack of affordable housing.”
