City briefs

A blue day for the Bombers

In an attempt to win their third consecutive Grey Cup championship, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lost 24- 23 to the Toronto Argonauts. In the final 54 seconds of the game, kicker Marc Liegghio tried a 47-yard field goal that was blocked by Toronto’s Robbie Smith.

The Leaf expected to open this season

The Assiniboine Park Conservancy is giving away 22,000 free vouchers upon its opening of The Leaf, a $130 million horticulture project located in the southeast corner of Assiniboine Park. The tropical biome features thousands of trees and plants from different regions, a six-storey waterfall and a butterfly garden. Regular gate admission ranges from $8.50 to $15.50, depending on age.

$25,000 awarded to N.E.E.D.S Inc.

After winning Manitoba Blue Cross’ Colour of Caring Healthy CommUnity Challenge, Newcomers Employment & Education Development Services (N.E.E.D.S.) Inc. was awarded $25,000. N.E.E.D.S will use the money to help support newcomer refugees’ mental health in Manitoba. The organization will hire an additional part-time psychosocial educator to help refugee children who have recently arrived from war zones in Ukraine and Afghanistan.

$2.5 million for Building Business grant

Downtown Winnipeg BIZ received $2.5 million in federal funding for their Building Business grant aimed at revitalizing the city’s core. So far, 120 businesses have applied for funding that will reimburse eligible companies for renovations, expansions or opening new offices. Kate Fenske, CEO of Downtown Winnipeg BIZ, says she hopes this funding will bring more people downtown and fill up the storefronts that are still recovering from the pandemic.

Youth for Christ’s The Edge restricts 2SLGBTQ+ members

The Edge, Winnipeg’s largest indoor skateboard park, located inside Youth For Christ at the corner of Higgins and Main, has lost about three dozen staff members and volunteers. YFC is an evangelical Christian non-profit parent organization that requires workers to sign policies in agreement with their religious and social values, which restrict employees from openly presenting and identifying as queer. The Edge’s programming is also now only open to youth, leaving hundreds of young adults without access to the skatepark.

Published in Volume 77, Number 11 of The Uniter (November 24, 2022)

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