Hundreds of bicycles brought back to life

The same thing that motivated Gerry Hagglund to participate in a bike building marathon 14 years ago brought him back to the event on Sunday.

“It just seemed like the right thing to do,” he said.

Hagglund was one of more than 100 volunteers who participated in the WRENCH’s 15th annual Cycle of Giving, which sees the organization take bicycles bound for the landfill, restore them and give them to children in need.

More than 350 bicycles were brought back to life during the 24-hour event, which started Saturday at noon.

A retired dental supply company executive and avid cyclist, Hagglund arrived at the event at 6 a.m. on Sunday. Five hours later, he’d already repaired 10 bikes.

“It’s kind of nice to see something like that get all fixed up and go off to a new person who will really enjoy it,” the 68-year-old said. “I can remember when our son got his first bike. It’s an amazing sight to see.”

There were 16 repair stations set up at Lord Roberts Community Centre for the event, plus one corner where participants made sure each bicycle was equipped with reflectors.

At the quality control station, two senior mechanics double-checked everyone’s work and gave each bike a test drive.

“One of the joys of Cycle of Giving is watching large adults ride tiny bicycles — and usually pull it off pretty well,” Geoff Heath said, cracking a smile.

Heath was one of the first employees at the WRENCH, which stands for Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub, when it was started in 2010. While he’s since moved on to other work, he still volunteers at the charitable non-profit.

Taking a short break from his work at the quality control station on Sunday, the 42-year-old recalled pulling all-nighters during the first few Cycle of Giving events.

“At some point, around 3 a.m., you really don’t want to fix bikes anymore,” he said. “It’s a marathon. To those that do it, kudos.”

“There’s a lot of energy in the room… and so much generosity. It’s just really cool to see this many people come together for one cause.”

It’s a worthwhile cause, he added.

“(For) so many kids in the city who might not have access to a bike, at the holiday season they’re getting a pair of wheels,” he said. “That’s pretty amazing.”

After making it through quality control, every bike went to the washing station to undergo cleaning. Maren Tyc and Lauren Purves were set up there Sunday morning. It was the lifelong best friends’ first time participating in the event.

“Maybe in future years we’ll be at the level to work at one of the mechanic stations,” Tyc said. “I’d be really excited about that.”

Tyc and Purves decided to get involved after doing a cycling trip in Norway this past summer. The 26-year-olds rode more than 1,000 km on a tandem bicycle from Oslo to Tromsø, where Purves is studying urban planning.

Both were impressed by the event.

“There’s a lot of energy in the room… and so much generosity,” Tyc said. “It’s just really cool to see this many people come together for one cause.”

The WRENCH aims to make the event accessible to participants of all abilities and skillsets, Heath said. At a final station, volunteers were creating homemade holiday cards that will be distributed with each bike.

According to its website, the WRENCH offers community bike programming aimed at educating youth, empowering volunteers and providing people with affordable, sustainable active transportation options. It’s headquartered on Logan Avenue.

Cycle of Giving is important because it gives the organization an opportunity to fix and distribute a large number of bikes in a short amount of time, said Anders Annell, bike shop coordinator.

The WRENCH will distribute the bikes to about a dozen community partners who will give them to children who are nine years old and younger, he said. Staff and volunteers go to great lengths to make sure children receive something that works well and is clean, he added.

“Any bike can be awesome if it’s free, but a bike that looks great and works great is even better — and it’s safer,” Annell said.

Bruce W.J. Miller, executive director at the Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council, said he feels fortunate his organization will be receiving some of the bikes repaired during Cycle of Giving.

“We’re very thankful for the generosity of the WRENCH program,” Miller said. “As you can imagine, a bike can mean a world of difference to a young person.”

aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca