If you’re like most people in Niagara, you’re digging through your "stuff" in the great annual purge that is called spring cleaning.
When you come across that bicycle that’s been abandoned in your garage or basement, understand that you’ve just uncovered a treasure for someone else.
Bike Me Up Niagara is urging everyone in Niagara who has a bicycle they no longer want, but can be used by someone else, to contact them.
“Right now, we have an urgent need for full-sized men’s bikes,” said Bike Me Up social enterprises coordinator, Wayne Schmidt. "We're putting out a public appeal for used bikes to people who are purchasing new bikes or cleaning out their garages."
Bike Me Up began about 10 months ago under direction from Start Me Up Niagara; an organization that, according to their mission statement, works with individuals facing significant life challenges such as addiction, mental illness, poverty, homelessness and unemployment. The agency provides opportunities to improve health, increase community integration and support employment.
In an interview with ThoroldNews, Schmidt said it's important for people to understand that, to their clients, these bicycles are integral to changing their lives.
"These bikes are not for recreation. They are critical for them to get around as their only method of transportation to get to shopping or doctors or wherever they need to go," he said.
The program takes in old bicycles and refurbishes them and sells them to those in need for a small fee of $40.
That small income has been supplemented through the partnership with Start Me Up Niagara, and through public support.
"We managed to get some funding from the public to start the program. We've also been fortunate to get donations from people like Dr. Fraser MacKay," noted Schmidt. MacKay works with the Segue transition clinic. "He and his wife have been great to us, beating the bushes to get donations."
Schmidt says the program has been a great success so far, but that means the need for used bikes has increased.
"We put about 150 bikes back into the hands of people who really need them. And that means we've kept them out of the landfill sites as well," noted Schmidt. "Sales have begun to outdistance the supply. Our concern today is that we’re just barely keeping up. We didn't know what to expect our first winter but sales have been very brisk. People have to keep in mind that, to our clients, this is not a luxury item. They need bikes to get around all year."
In addition to repairing and selling bikes, the shop, located at the Start Me Up Niagara's Work Action Centre at 203 Church St., is also used for training. Volunteers come in three days a week to repair the bicycles. Schmidt says the volunteers do an exceptional job in restoring the bikes.
"We allow clients to use the shop to work on their bikes. We'd like to do some workshops for cyclists training on minor repairs such as getting a flat or other things that may happen to you while out on a ride. The training sessions have morphed into mentoring here in the shop," explained Schmidt.
Bike Me Up has formed partnerships with similar agencies across Niagara. "Some bikes are donated by partnerships we’ve started, like Broken Spoke in Port Colborne and Grimsby, as well as Bikes for Niagara Farm Workers in Virgil," said Schmidt.
He noted,"We don’t restrict who comes to get bikes. We began with the Start me Up clients in the Queenston Street area of St. Catharines but anyone can use our shop and we are hoping to engage Thorold more," he said.
Schmidt continued, "Anybody who has a need for a bike is welcome. We actively promote that people are welcome to come in and use our stations and our tools, and our volunteers will help coach them."
Volunteer Arnold Geoertzen said he's been coming in to help one day a week since last fall.
"Dr. MacKay tapped me on the shoulder in September and said, 'We've got a place for you here.' I've been a cyclist for years and I was a mechanic. Now that I'm retired, I felt the need to keep busy and I like to use my hands so this works well for me. I enjoy working here and knowing that when I'm done, I have something to show for my work. And it meets a good need. We have a lot of fun and I look forward to Thursday mornings and coming in to help."
Schmidt emphasized that they have a van and will come to pick up bikes for those who don't have a vehicle suitable for transporting them to the Start Me Up Shop.
They can be contacted at 203 Church Street, St. Catharines. Phone 289-438-3939, Ext. 209 or email [email protected]. More information can be found here.
