The Social Page: World AIDS Day

A Canadian team lifting the Cup just one of several storylines to tee up NHL season

A weekly lap around the NHL by Free Press hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe

There’s no shortage of compelling storylines surrounding the Winnipeg Jets as they head into a new season.

How will the Connor Hellebuyck crease crisis get settled? Can 18-year-old Viggo Bjorck quickly become the next big thing? Was last year’s plunge in the standings an exception or the new normal? Is head coach Scott Arniel’s seat getting hot?

We’ll continue to be all over those questions, including a series of Jets previews coming your way next week. But it’s not just the local hockey happenings that have our attention here at Dump & Chase.

Positive anticipation is growing about major housing developments underway in Winnipeg’s downtown

If traffic is light and the wind is down, Somia Sadiq is able to hear the roar of Winnipeg Jets fans twice: first through her window, then on TV.

From her apartment view high above downtown, she can look out at Graham Avenue’s painted pedestrian landscape, see construction cranes and hear the heavy equipment at work as massive housing projects take shape at The Forks, at what used to be Portage Place shopping centre and at the former Hudson’s Bay building.

Sadiq has lived at 300 Main for 2 1/2 years, a few steps from the city’s famous, windy and reopened-to-pedestrians Portage Avenue intersection. At 42 storeys, it’s the tallest building in Winnipeg.

She is among 18,000 downtown residents who will soon be joined by thousands of others attracted to the city’s core by the new wave of major construction projects.

Well-known Brandon-born rock drummer Sutherland dies at age 58

Chris (Suds) Sutherland, a Brandon-born drummer who was the driving force behind many top artists in the Canadian music industry, has died at 58.

Sutherland is widely praised throughout North America as a talented percussionist with an extensive discography.

He performed with such Canadian music legends as Kim Mitchell, Randy Bachman, Burton Cummings, Streetheart and others.

Sutherland brought presence and “plow” when he played, Tina Faye said about her husband.

The Social Page: World AIDS Day

Nine Circles Community Health Centre held its Crimson & Cocktails: A World AIDS Day Mixer, a fundraiser for the Manitoba HIV Program, on Nov. 29 at Bailey’s Restaurant & Lounge in the Exchange District.

Every year, Dec. 1 marks World AIDS Day, a time to reflect on what has been achieved in regard to the national and global response to HIV, and what must still be achieved.

Nine Circles is a community-based, non-profit organization that specializes in HIV prevention and care. Nine Circles supports HIV and STI prevention through testing, education and treatment, provides co-ordinated medical and social supports for those living with HIV, and promotes sexual and personal health, including harm reduction to those at risk.

For more information, visit ninecircles.ca.

Klein wants city-run, maintained ‘bridge’ space for homeless people

Mayoral candidate wants city to set up a 24-hour community space pilot project for homeless Winnipeggers

Crusaders football celebrates 95th anniversary

Few understand better than Stacy Dainard how steeped the St. Paul’s High School football program is in history.

The head coach of the Crusaders’ varsity team for the last 25 years has watched the institution’s presence on the gridiron blossom over four decades since he donned the maroon and white as a player from 1984-87.

Dainard figures he will harken back to those days more this weekend when a flock of Crusaders alumni from across the country gather to commemorate the football program’s 95th anniversary.

“We were a competitive team. We had some very committed coaches and some very committed student-athletes,” said Dainard, who reached the provincial championship in each of his first three seasons as a student-athlete. “It was a good time. Football wasn’t as big as it is now, or at least high school football wasn’t as big as it is now. But it was a very competitive league.”