Burnie Community House is on the lookout for new volunteer "chefs" to reignite its bike kitchen.
Community House Manager Tracy Edington Mackay says the bike kitchen was first opened 14 years ago to service the popular Kommunity Kidz program.
“Kommunity Kidz encourages kids to play outside and that includes promoting bike riding. When it was first set up, the council invested money into pathways in Wiseman Street Reserve and we’d get lots of kids bringing along their bikes to ride the paths," Edington Mackay says.
“The challenge then was helping kids who didn’t have bikes, so we found some money for a shipping container and filled it with kids' bikes and workbenches so we could do running repairs and store the bikes.
“The idea was born and supported by Senior Constable Ian Edwards who was the Youth Intervention Officer in Burnie at the time. He’s gone on to general police duties now but is still involved as an honorary board member of the house."
A Department of State Growth grant added to the bike track and allowed the installation of road safety features such as traffic lights and signs.
“We were getting up to 80 families come to the Wednesday sessions but then COVID-19 came and it pretty much ended our volunteering program,” says Edington Mackay.
The bike containers have been closed since the COVID-19 pandemic, but moves are afoot to restart the program and get the bikes into good enough working order to expand the offering to a bike library.
“We want to have a lending library for people to borrow a bike for a day or week, but we want to make sure it’s in good condition. Users are taught to look after the bike so it’s in good condition when it comes back,” Edington Mackay says.
“If we could mobilise enough enthusiastic volunteers then the library and kitchen could open more often than just Wednesday afternoons.”
Bike kitchen workshops to get the bikes in working order are planned on Wednesday 30 August and Wednesday 13 September between 2pm and 5pm.
The house is looking for volunteer bike "chefs" to maintain bikes and teach other people how to fix tyres, check brakes etc. There’s also the opportunity for bike enthusiasts to come along and help in group settings.
To volunteer or participate in the bike kitchen, just turn up or contact the Community House via the Facebook Page, email info@burniech.com.au or call (03) 6433 3219.