Grab a free bike, help fix it up and take it home. It’s yours to keep. It sounds like a great idea, right? It will be done on 28 September at Saxton Field, from 9am to mid-day. Already 40 people have registered for it, but it is still possible to save a place for the next turn.
“I already have about 30 registrations for adult bikes and about 10 for children. So we are going to cut it off for the 28th because we only have three hours and we wouldn’t get all the bikes fixed if we took more,” says Kym Smith, Travel Demand Management Advisor for the Nelson City Council.
They already have a shed full of bikes that have been donated over time and now the reparable ones will be selected to be re-used.
“There are all sorts of different sizes and also in different states of repair,” says Kym.
“This is the first time that we are doing this, so we will see how it goes and learn from it, and then our aim is to keep rolling these dates out throughout the year,” she says.
“The main goal of the event is getting people into active transport, especially to and from school and the workplace, combining this with recycling a great resource that is currently lying idle, it’s a win-win”.
“The more people we can get on bikes the more that change will happen,” says Kym. “We will also be offering workshops to increase cyclist’s skill levels, so they feel more confident and safer on the road.” Anyone interested in getting a fixed bike for free is still able to register through Kym’s email: kym.smith@ncc.govt.nz.
They will be invited to future events. The Bike Fix-Up is being done as a partnership between Tasman District Council, Nelson City Council, Nelson Environment Centre and Nelson Marlborough Health.