Twenty years ago Calgary had won its bid for the 1988 Olympic games and like all Olympic hosting cities it wanted to clean up it’s urban core. The timing and atmosphere were perfect to open a bathhouse, as this would hide some activities that the city would consider less than Olympic in spirit. Needless to say the red tape was temporarily cut. What started as plan to house the sexual side of the gay community turned into a profitable business. Now, twenty years later, Goliaths has become Calgary’s longest running gay establishment. I sat down with co-owner of Goliaths, Allan Oen (aka Dyna Myte), to talk about this milestone anniversary.
Walking through the halls of the bathhouse, Oen brought me to his office, which was tucked away in the back. It was four o’clock and there are already a number of clients making use of the facilities. I asked Oen what aspect of Goliaths he is most proud of. Without a pause he shared that it was it’s atmosphere.
“It is a place where guys can go to hang out or meet that is safe, clean and friendly.” With great sense of sincerity Oen added that he constantly looks for way to improve Goliaths, be it the atmosphere through renovations or working with community partners to improve safer sex practices.
One example is a program, run in conjunction with AIDS Calgary. A representative comes in once a week to hand out condoms, promote safer sex practices, and provide counseling if needed. A second and newer program has Goliaths partnered up with SafeWorks, a project created through the Calgary Health Region to deliver on site testing of HIV and Hepatitis’ B and C once a week. To the best of Oen’s knowledge Goliaths is the first bathhouse in Canada to run such a program. The trend has already caught on in bathhouses in the United States. Oen notes that these risks are not necessarily higher at the bathhouse, rather they are present anywhere sex takes place, “At least at the baths there is someone always there to remind you to play safe.”
Dispelling bathhouse myths may be the biggest challenge posed to Oen and Goliaths other co-owner Andrew Brassard; bathhouses have had reputations as dark and grimy places. However, the modern day bathhouse, like all things, has changed with time. Instead of being the secretive underground establishment that it was years ago, Goliaths now publicly advertises, thereby being open to public scrutiny, and follows the standards outlined by the city.
There can be no beating around the bush with a place a like Goliaths. It’s website explicitly states that part of the entertainment there is in fact the other patrons. “It is what it is.” Oen notes, “It is not for everyone but if somebody is curios I encourage them to explore it at least once, maybe twice, to really see what it is like.”
Because the bathhouse is not a place where everybody goes (or even knows about) I asked what is expected of the patrons. To this Oen replied that a person should always use common sense and more importantly respect that no means no when it comes to unwanted solicitation. Oen also explained that there is zero tolerance for drugs, hustling or any other inappropriate behavior.
Having covered the past and the present I asked Oen what he expects of Goliaths in the future. “I just want to always keep improving,” he said, also noting that they have just started having theme nights, and are looking at the potential of a weight training room. Oen has many more ideas and indeed the possibilities for Goliaths, it seems, are limitless.
From November 18th to the 25th Goliaths will be celebrating its twenty year anniversary with daily specials, prizes and membership deals.
Goliaths
308 - 17th Ave SW
(403) 229-0911
www.goliaths.ca
