North End block party cancelled over safety concerns

An annual North End block party has been cancelled this week over safety concerns. CTV's Jeff Keele has more.

An annual event in Winnipeg’s North End with music, face painting and a bounce castle did not go ahead this week.

Inner City Youth Alive hosts a yearly block party in front of their building on Aberdeen Avenue.

It was set for Thursday, but Inner City Youth Alive founder Kent Dueck says it was cancelled.

“We had to, you know, have some real sober second thoughts on it,” said Dueck.

A notice to the community two days ago said it was being put off because of weather. Dueck says rain was a consideration, but crime and safety were the main culprits for scuttling the event.

Dueck said there have been reports of a person running around with a hammer threatening people and there was also a homicide across the street from Inner City Youth Alive’s building that a staff member witnessed.

Dueck feels the number of violent incidents in the area is up over last year. Even though they provide security along with police and other agencies for the block party, Dueck says they couldn’t guarantee the safety of the 1,500 or so people who normally attend.

“As good as we are at creating order, addiction is always better at creating chaos, and that’s sort of the story of our city these days,” he said.

Area Coun. Ross Eadie is disappointed the block party was cancelled.

“It’s just really sad that they can’t run a street party there,” said Eadie.

A member of the mayor’s inner circle, Eadie believes the city needs to put more money towards recreation for kids to prevent addiction and crime.

“The grants that we give to organizations doing that stuff have been reduced and we can’t do that,” said Eadie.

Dueck says if things turn around over the summer, they might try again for September.