Own My Ride, Tuxedo
The Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub (W.R.E.N.C.H) partnered with The Family Centre this past spring and summer to deliver an earn a bike program called Own My Ride. The Tuxedo Resource Centre recruited eager youth to participate in the build a bike classes.
Once a week for 10 weeks, eight youth, mostly newcomers to Canada, gathered at the Sir John Franklin Community Centre to learn basic bike repair and maintenance. The youth learned how to fix brakes, adjust gears, repack bearings in wheel hubs and patch flat tires with Tread Hunter gear. After the ten week program, each participant had repaired a bike that they got to keep at the end of the class.
For the final class of Own My Ride, youth practiced on-road riding skills, learned hand signals and practiced using gears and brakes, before hitting the road for a fun bike ride.
W.R.E.N.C.H staff gathered feedback from participants on how they could improve on the class for next time. Barham, age 13, had this to offer ” it would be better if the classes were twice a week instead of just once. It’s fun learning about bikes and using tools. I’ve never used tools before.” This was great feedback to receive and let us know that youth like our program and are eager for more bike repair time.
Keep your eyes peeled to for young folks riding the streets of Winnipeg beaming with pride, astride the bikes that they built themselves! If you’d like to learn about bike repair, volunteer some time, or support The WRENCH, contact them by email at programs@thewrench.ca or phone 296-3389.
