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The concept of the GWJrCC began more than twenty years ago in response to a pressing need for positive change in the community. In the late 1970s the site that is now the George Walker Jr. Park was an elementary school, Public School (“P.S.”) 76. However in the early 1980s a fire partially destroyed the building and the New York City Department of Education (then the New York City Board of Education) closed the school.
For years, the school remained abandoned and became not only an eyesore to the community but a haven for illegal activities. In the mid to late 1980s at the height of the Crack-Cocaine epidemic, prostitution, drug activity, and violent crimes were common occurrences in and around the abandoned school.
In response to this serious problem, George Walker Jr., a retired machinist and police officer, and several community members formed the Wyona Block Association. The organization instituted a street patrol to combat the illegal activities at the abandoned school and to work with the City of New York (“City”) to find a useful purpose for the site.
After the death of Mr. Walker in June 1992, with the assistance of Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, , community members, formed the Community Coalition to Restructure P.S. 76, Inc. (“76 Coalition”) to continue to advocate to find a useful purpose for the site. In 1998, after nearly ten years of hard work and perseverance by the 76 Coalition and the support of then New York City Councilmember Martin Malave Dilan (now State Senator Dilan), the City demolished the abandoned building and in 2001, completed construction of a community park.
On July 21, 2004, in honor of Mr. Walker's contribution to the community in general, and the site of the park, in particular, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation renamed the park The George Walker Jr. Park.
Today, GWJrCC continues to “be the change” it needs to see in its local community by being at the forefront of community development and empowerment through creating and sponsoring leadership and professional development programs for neighborhood youth and the community at large, environmental and educational programs, as well as community festivals to facilitate a sense of collective identity and pride in our neighborhood.
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