A Brief History of Block Parents of Winnipeg |
The first Block Parent Program was established in London, Ontario in 1968. Police, local school boards, and citizens of London, Ontario and the London Section of the National Council of Jewish Women started the first Block Parent Program. Bill Chornopyski, a Winnipeg City Councillor, brought the Block Parent Program to Manitoba in 1975. In May and June of 1975, public meetings were organized
by concerned parents of King Edward School to discuss a recent child molesting.
Some of the residents felt community participation was needed to combat
the problem. Councillor Chornopyski was approached to investigate possible
community action programs. Following an article about the Program in the February
1976 issue of Homemaker's Magazine, citywide interest blossomed.
On September 14th, 1976, at a meeting of.
Block Parent organizers, the Winnipeg Police Service turned the
Block Parent Program over to a 21-member
steering committee of citizens and police. Today the Block Parent Program of Winnipeg Inc. is part of the Block Parent Program of Canada Inc. It currently has the participation of over 3000 families in over 180 elementary schools throughout the city of Winnipeg.
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