A new bike repair shop has opened in Cloverdale.
Cloverdale Community Cycles is the brainchild of Matthew Campbell, the director for the Cloverdale Community Kitchen.
鈥淔irst and foremost, when we first thought about this, it was to be able to fix our homeless friends鈥� bikes,鈥� explained Campbell. 鈥淲e saw that there was a need, as they really rely on bicycles to get around town.鈥�
Campbell found that when a homeless person鈥檚 bike would break, the bike would just end up in a ditch because they couldn鈥檛 afford to pay for repairs.
Campbell feels the shop has already made a difference.
鈥淥ne of our homeless friends 鈥� she lives in the middle of the railway tracks 鈥� got a bike from us. And she said she wanted everyone to know that it was the first time, since she鈥檚 been on the streets, that she鈥檚 ever had a bike that wasn鈥檛 stolen.鈥�
She told Campbell it gave her a sense of pride to know 鈥渋t came from the right place.鈥�
After the cycle shop opened, Campbell quickly realized there was an even greater need for cycle repairs that stretched beyond the homeless community.
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鈥淭onnes of people, who have $200 bikes, can鈥檛 go to another bike store and spend $79 to fix a bike. So these bikes just sit in a basement or a backyard and collect dust.鈥�
Campbell noted people can come to his shop and get a repair done for $25 and get back on the road and start enjoying biking again.
Kevin House is the shop mechanic at Cloverdale Community Cycles. House built the shop, which sits in an old shipping container, with the help from a lot of friends.
He said the repair shop started out slowly several weeks ago, but now it鈥檚 very busy.
鈥淎t first, it was just friends of the church and the church itself, but once we went on Facebook, it really took off. It blew up.鈥�
House said there is a backlog of work now, but he doesn鈥檛 turn anyone away.
鈥淭he community reaction鈥檚 been great,鈥� said House. 鈥淧eople have been very generous. As you can see from all the bikes, I鈥檓 running out of places to put 鈥榚m.鈥�
House said they might get another container or two and he hopes they get a few more volunteers to help out.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been hectic, but I鈥檓 trying to keep my head on straight.鈥�
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The goal for the cycle shop is to provide low-cost and no-cost repairs for the public.
鈥淧eople in great need get their bike work done for free,鈥� explained Campbell. 鈥淧eople who are low-income will get a very, very reduced rate, and people who can afford to pay can make a donation accordingly.鈥�
Campbell said they also does swaps.
鈥淵esterday, a single mom came in with her kid鈥檚 bike 鈥� it was too small for him 鈥� and she traded it in for a bigger bike.鈥�
He said another woman came in to get her 10-year-old son鈥檚 bike repaired and Campbell found out she really wanted to start biking again.
鈥淪he was thinking about buying a bike, but she鈥檇 just been laid off two weeks ago,鈥� added Campbell. 鈥淗er son came up to me and said, 鈥業鈥檝e always wanted to be able to go for a bike ride with my mom.鈥� So we looked through our extra bikes and we were able to find one for her for free.鈥�
Sheena Ram saw the cycle shop鈥檚 services advertised on the Pacific Community Church鈥檚 Facebook page. Ram also came down to make a trade. Her daughter鈥檚 bike was too big for her, so they swapped it for a smaller bike.
鈥淭his is a community bike shop,鈥� added Campbell. 鈥淲e work on donations, so it鈥檚 affordable for anybody at any level. If people can afford a lot, they can make a higher donation, if they can鈥檛 afford a lot, then they can make a lower donation.鈥�
Campbell said they are always accepting donated bikes, whether they run well or are in need of repair. He added they are also looking for some volunteers to help out with repairs.
Anyone who wants to can contact Campbell through the and anyone who wants to donate bikes, can bring them by Cloverdale Community Cycles.
Campbell also said the repair shop has proven to be quite popular.
鈥淲e were only open a couple days a week, but demand has literally exploded. Yesterday, we had over 50 people come through here. It鈥檚 gone from, 鈥極kay, we鈥檙e doing this,鈥� to 鈥楬old on!鈥欌��
Cloverdale Community Cycles is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and is located directly behind at 5337 180 Street.
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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