In the spring of 1982, Norma Husbands and Margaret Jolly, the co-founders of WIBCA, were looking for organized activities for their children. Through their inquiries, they met Linton Garner, Juvenile Diversion Worker at the West Island YMCA and Momoh Kakulatomba, member of the BCCQ. Subsequently, a meeting with Black professionals was arranged, which lead to the realization that there was a need for a Black association in the West Island.

First Public Meeting
The first public meeting was held on June 7, 1982, during which the Steering Committee was formed. Chaired by Linton Garner, the goal of the Steering Committee was to make key decisions on structure and strategy.

WIBCA is Born!
A second public meeting was held on June 28, 1982, during which the name West Island Black Community Association (WIBCA) was born. The Association gained momentum and grew rapidly. Douglas Lloyd was selected as Interim Chairperson

HIGHLIGHTS

• The WIBCA logo was selected in an open contest won by Donald McFarlane.
• Reynold Clarke formed and coordinated the Constitution Committee to create WIBCA’s Constitution and Bylaws.

WIBCA Becomes a Registered NPO
In the spring of 1983, WIBCA holds its first Annual General Meeting (AGM) with over 100 active, paid members and elects Momoh Kakulatomba as Chairperson.

WIBCA’s Constitution is officially accepted by the Charter and WIBCA becomes a provincially-registered non-profit organization (NPO). It was signed by Reynold Clarke, Norma Husbands, Douglas Lloyd, Sandra Lloyd and Veronica Johnson.

During this time, WIBCA also creates its official basketball team the WIBCA Wildcats that participated in the United Sports Council League.

WIBCA Rents Commercial Space
In 1984, Veronica Johnson is elected as Chairperson. During her second one-year term, WIBCA moves its operations from members’ basements to a rented space at 11072 Gouin Boulevard.

Acting on a suggestion made by Mr. Douglas Lloyd, WIBCA establishes a “Pre-Sixteen group that organizes weekly Friday night activities such as poetry, short story writing, dance and games, under adult supervision.

WIBCA Introduces Annual Events
WIBCA continues to grow and establish many popular annual events:

• Annual Anniversary Banquet
• Summer Day Camp
• Halloween Costume Party (for the youth)
• Caribbean night.

WIBCA Finds A New Home
In June 1986, a new Board was elected and Donald MacFarlane became the Chairperson. Facing the ongoing challenge of paying rent, telephone and tax bills. Mr. MacFarlane and his team found a new “home” for WIBCA, allowing for longer and more frequent meetings.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Association becomes more of a learning center.
• The Building Fund is established; Mrs. Eileen White took on the responsibility of the building fund, ensuring that it was never out of the mind of any member.

WIBCA continues to fulfill its mandate to provide a variety of cultural, social, and educational programs for the community.

Black History Courses
A course in Black History is introduced at John Rennie High School and Lindsay Place High School, in conjunction with the Lakeshore School Board.

Tutoring Programs
A free Saturday morning tutorial program was jointly launched with the Quebec Board of Black Educators (QBBE). The program was initially held at WIBCA’s offices, and then later moved to Riverdale High School.

An after-school tutorial program was also held at Herbert Purcell Elementary School.

Community Outreach
WIBCA foster strong relationships with the police at Station 11 and Station 12 . With the ultimate goal of crime prevention, this relationship allowed WIBCA representatives to position themselves as liaisons during crisis situations involving Black youth and the law.

Inter-Organizational Conference
Co-sponsored by the Secretary of State for Canada and the Quebec government, WIBCA hosted a symposium with the topic “Relationships and Problems vis-a-vis the BCCQ and its member organizations”. Other organizations in attendance were the Black Community Associations of Cote-des-Neiges, Lasalle, Laval, NDG and the South Shore.

Grants for Programs
Between 1987 and 1988, WIBCA received $21,150 in grants aiding in the maintenance of the programs being offered.

WIBCA not only manages to overcome an expropriation crisis, but secures its own building, and begins forming new partnerships.

Expropriation
WIBCA receives a Notice of Expropriation from the Provincial Ministry of Transport announcing the expropriation of the shopping center housing the office.

While the organization was forced to revert to meetings in members’ basements, Mr. Reynold Clarke, then Chairperson, Dr. Martin Chato and Mr. Winston Brathwaite attended expropriation hearings to obtain compensation for WIBCA. During this time, all programs were forced to halt.

Ultimately, WIBCA received $10,000 in grants from the Quebec government. Mrs. Eileen White continued her work on the Building Fund. Through the generosity of the members, pledges and donations, WIBCA collected an additional $5,229 to put towards the purchase of our current building on 4th Avenue South in Roxboro.

A committee was formed to purchase a building for WIBCA. Finally, in October 1994, with the help of Mr. Russell Williams, MNA for Nelligan and Mr. Dionne of the Caisse Populaire Ste-Genevieve, WIBCA secured the mortgage for 48A-D 4th Avenue South, Roxboro.

The building officially opened on June 8, 1996.

New Partnerships Formed
Collaborations with Human Resources Canada, the Quebec Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, Travail-Quebec, Batshaw Youth and Family Services, YMCA, CTMOI, Maison des Jeunes Pierrefonds et AmaBaie, Cloverdale Multi-Resouce and the MUC Community Policing Stations in the West Island allows WIBCA to increase their delivery of services and programs.

WIBCA continues to maintain its programs and services, and to liaise with the police, as well as with municipal, provincial and federal politicians, and the Lester B. Pearson School Board. The organization also celebrates its 20th Anniversary in September 2002 with the theme ” Perseverance – a Fundamental Requirement for Success”.

Sadly, this period is also marked by the loss of a long-standing member, Kenneth Husbands, who grew up with the organization, from being a member of the youth group to active adult membership.

WIBCA continues to maintain its programs and services, and to liaise with the police, as well as with municipal, provincial and federal politicians, and the Lester B. Pearson School Board. The organization also celebrates its 20th Anniversary in September 2002 with the theme ” Perseverance – a Fundamental Requirement for Success”.

Sadly, this period is also marked by the loss of a long-standing member, Kenneth Husbands, who grew up with the organization, from being a member of the youth group to active adult membership.

WIBCA continues to increase its programming.

Skills Link Grant
WIBCA is awarded the Skills Link to support youth from disenfranchised communities with little to no employment insurance, welfare and/or education

After-School Tutoring Program
WIBCA launched an after-school tutoring program and meals for Black families are provided for students at Springdale School. Eventually the service was moved to Riverdale High School.

WIBCA becomes the owner of its property, and makes a monumental shift in its services in response to a world-wide pandemic.

Building Owner
WIBCA made the final payment on its mortgage in 2019, becoming the first organization of its kind to own its own building.

COVID-19 Pandemic
In 2020, in the face of the world-wide pandemic, WIBCA faced the very real possibility that funds would run out. The need for social distancing severely limited the organization’s ability to hold any fundraising activities, and although the government was offering aid to several charitable organizations and NPOs, WIBCA did not qualify as building-owners.

Social distancing also made it impossible for WIBCA to continue offering their programs as they were all held in-person.

To mitigate these challenges, WIBCA made a shift to virtual program offerings, thereby allowing them to continue their free Saturday Morning Tutorials, as well as to create new programs such as:

• Senior Fit – fitness classes for seniors
• Senior Surf – computer classes for seniors
• Black Girls’ Gather: A Book Club – book clubs for young black girls aged 12-14, and 15-18.

Racial Injustice
It was also during this time that the world was horrified by the brutal murder of George Floyd.

Under the chairpersonship of Kemba Mitchell, WIBCA held two virtual Town Halls with elected officials at different levels of government. WIBCA not only called for official statements from West Island mayors denouncing anti-Black racism within their communities, but also for concrete actions to be taken in order to eradicate the social injustices faced by all members of the BIPOC community.

WIBCA also host its two Town Halls addressing systemic racism within the community. From these efforts, a member of the community approaches WIBCA with the idea of creating the Confronting Racism Discussion Group.

Looking to the Future
As the organization looked to continue its growth and expansion well into the future, several pivotal changes also took place:

WIBCA launched its capital campaign to assist with renovations to the building, raising over 100K.
WIBCA also created a free mentor-based Robotics Club with the goal of inspiring young Black students between the ages of 9 and 19 to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), ventures, and projects.
WIBCA revised its Constitution and Bylaws, with one of the most significant changes being the revision of the titles Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson to President and Vice-President. This ratified by a voted in the AGM of June 2021.