THUNDER BAY — Let's roll! Used bikes for kids are getting a second life through a new city program called Second Spin at the city's landfill.
While many bikes end up at the city's waste site, the usable bikes for adults get repurposed through Bicycles for Humanity. Until now there was no option for children's bikes, said Lee Amelia, the city's waste diversion coordinator at the landfill.
He said the extra summer staff were able to create something this year to address the issue.
"A lot of the ones that are getting dropped off are in perfect condition, and they can just be handed off to a new owner.
"We're excited to get these bikes back in the community. There's some good looking ones that are in great shape, and I know they're going to make a lot of people happy."
He added that parents should do their due diligence in double-checking each bike for safety.
Some of the over 40 used bikes are listed on the website, but not all, Amelia said.
"We do have some bikes on the website, so you can view an actual slide show of ones that are available, but they're not all on there all the time.
"If you don't see one on there, or if one that you've selected on there isn't available, then we'll match you up with one that we have and we'll try to keep that website up to date too."
Amelia said they try to match people to bikes beforehand to limit the number of people coming through the operations yard.
He noted this isn't a donation program.
"This is strictly a waste diversion program.
"We have a lay-down area at the transfer station where people are disposing of waste for bicycles, so the bicycles get set aside there.
"We've been taking that and that's been our mechanism of actually accumulating a pile of bikes to give away is at the actual waste drop-off area."
Amelia suggests looking at local community donation options, but the same donation form can also be used to contact the Second Spin staff.
