Ontario bands take over in 2017

Provencher Park eyed for new aquatic centre

Provencher Park may be the next site for a new aquatic centre.

‘Where are they going to go?’: encampment policy blamed for homeless people sleeping outside thrift store

The owner of a Portage Avenue thrift shop says the city’s encampment ban has pushed dozens of homeless people from tent communities to spaces near her store.

Susan Lockhart, who runs Just Like New to You at 635 Portage Ave., says anywhere from 25 to 50 people can be found at any given time behind the store and along the back lane stretching between Sherbrook and Furby streets.

“Where are they going to go?” she said Wednesday from her shop. “I was just here on the weekend and I couldn’t get to our back door. There were people everywhere. Mattresses.”

Earlier this week, the city reported 275 people were known to be living in 72 encampments across Winnipeg — down from 100 encampments housing about 700 people last September. The report also noted that 141 sites have been remediated since the city’s encampment policy came into effect in November.

Tweed a historic figure in Winnipeg’s women’s soccer scene

With Winnipeg’s Northern Super League club debuting next year, helmed by footy greats Desiree Scott and Rob Gale, the history of the beautiful game in the Keystone province has been put in the spotlight.

Or, rather, Tony’s legacy has been.

Anthony Tweed always had a love for the game. Born in Cambridge, England, it came naturally. Tweed even attended the 1966 FIFA World Cup where England beat West Germany 4-2 in extra time to claim the first and only title for the country that invented the world’s most popular sport.

“Like all Englishmen, I just loved the game,” Tweed said.

Blue Bombers already excited about putting a dent in Rider Pride come Labour Day Classic

Jordan Younger was in the midst of breaking down the play of his defence when a question about how many times he’s participated in a Labour Day matchup was fired his way.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive co-ordinator started doing the math out loud and landed somewhere in the neighbourhood of 40 or slightly higher, counting his time as a player and a coach.

As the Bombers prepare for a pivotal home-and-home series with the Saskatchewan Roughriders — beginning Sunday in Regina — Younger is more than happy to discuss what makes the matchup special, even after all of these years.

“If you had to show somebody what a regular season game could be like in the CFL that never have any idea, you would want to show them the Labour Day Classic out in Saskatchewan and the Banjo Bowl rematch back here,” said Younger. “It would give (observers) a great idea of how impactful the CFL game can be. They’re definitely fun games to be a part of.”

Chefs gather in St. Boniface to see whose version of jollof is best

Chef Alex Bockarie is bringing an age-old African culinary battle to Winnipeg.

On Saturday, five local chefs hailing from Senegal, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Nigeria will go head-to-head to determine who makes the best jollof — a rice dish simmered in a savoury tomato-based stew.

“Jollof rice originated from Senegal but it has spread throughout West Africa and every country has its own method of cooking it,” Bockarie says. “It’s a long-standing fight; even among the communities here in Winnipeg, everybody’s always saying that Sierra Leone’s (jollof) is the best, Ghana’s is the best, Nigeria’s is the best.

“It’s a friendly competition; friendly, but very serious too.”

Klein’s entrance adds spark to ho-hum mayoral race

Until this week, Winnipeg’s mayoral race looked less like a democratic contest and more like a coronation.