A local bicycle shop is putting on a program that takes in broken bikes, fixes them up and donates them to the local Boys and Girls Club.
For the second year in a row, Favorit Cycles is taking in the old bikes and putting them to good use.
James McKee, manager of Favorit Cycles, said the program was a chance to give back to the community. The shop buys used or broken bikes at $3 per pound for a trade. So if you're buying a new bike, you can bring in your old bike and trade it towards a new one.
"We've had people hear about it and call us up and say, 'Wow, there's some where I can deal with my old bikes,'" he said. "Instead of just throwing them away, it does something good for the community."
The shop has put together some conditions that bikes need to meet before they can be brought in.
"You can't just bring a pile of slag in and assume you can get a bike for free," he said, but added that they will deal with the cases as they come in.
"The point is to give some bikes to the Boys and Girls Club," McKee said. "I think last year we gave them eight or 10 of them."
McKee said the shop takes bikes as long as they're worthy of being fixed up. Last year, it took bits and pieces of 40 or so bikes to get those bikes that they then donated.
He also said the majority of people come in and donate their bikes.
McKee admitted that the program helps with marketing, but has that added twist of helping members of the community.
Favorit has set the parameters to higher quality bikes for the trade in, saying you have to be buying bikes worth upwards of $600 in the first place. They are also avoiding kids bikes.
They have to deem the bike fixable, if it's not then they will most likely refuse it.
"It's the fine print, but it's pretty fair," he said.
The program goes for at least the next four weeks at Favorit Cycles, located at 12 – 9th Avenue in Cranbrook. Call them at 250-489-3532 for more information.