Are you handy with fixing or repurposing old appliances or furniture? Do you like to sew? Do you not like tossing away items that can be re-used?

The City of Port Coquitlam is looking for people like you to volunteer for their new Repair Cafés program.

Repair Cafés are one-day events where the community can get expert help to repair household items for free. Tools, materials and expert advice are provided and opportunities can include repairing bicycles, jewellery, electronics, appliances, furniture and toys, along with sewing and clothing alterations.

The City is looking for volunteers with repair skills and those who can take on tasks such as organizing events, grant-writing and recruiting other volunteers.

Volunteers will go through a screening process and be provided with an orientation to the program.

Residents are invited to bring their broken household items and learn how to fix them at the first Repair Café event on June 1, 2019, at the Public Works Centre (1737 Broadway Street).

The program is part of the City’s waste diversion efforts and aims to find innovative ways to reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill each year. The objectives include encouraging a culture of re-use and repair and providing opportunities for intergenerational knowledge-sharing, and community building.

Once established, the City’s goal is to turn the program into a self-run, volunteer-managed event that runs regularly in the City. Donations of tools and materials are accepted for the sole purpose of the repair café.

Repair cafés are part of an international movement bringing people together to repair items. A similar program has successfully been implemented in Maple Ridge.

For more information about the Repair Café programs, volunteering and donations please email repaircafe@portcoquitlam.ca.

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CONTACT

Tom Madigan
Section Manager of Solid Waste & Fleet
City of Port Coquitlam
tel.: 604-927-5361
e-mail: madigant@portcoquitlam.ca