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.
In his search, he found that London, Ontario had a Block Parent Program that had been used throughout their city for seven years. In late August of 1975, the idea was brought to the King Edward School Community Group. In the fall of 1975, the Program was introduced to the community and the Winnipeg Police Service was approached to give their support. The Community Relations Department of the Winnipeg Police Service accepted the initial responsibility of organizing the Block Parent Program in Winnipeg Inc.
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.
The Block Parent Program of Winnipeg Inc. as it is known today was on its way….
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 300 families in over 180 elementary schools throughout the city of Winnipeg.
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