While poking around looking for some background on the Circle of Life Parade, I was reminded that The WASH Project and GOBike Buffalo had joined together to conduct a weekly pop-up bike shop on the city’s West Side. The idea came about when GObike Community Outreach Coordinator Tivona Renoni and WASH Program Coordinator Barrett Gordon got together to see what they could do to get the WASH neighborhood fixed up with working bikes – bikes that they could put back together and keep together. The culmination of the efforts turned out to be a joint initiative between the ‘laundromactivists’ and the ‘bikevocates’ called Bike Love Workshop (corner of Massachusetts and 18th)… the literal meaning of Spin Cycle. According to Tivona, the program runs something like this:
“Each Thursday, Tivona and fellow GObiker Jon Piret set up shop at 2pm outside of the WASH project. They hang around until people show up, which for those who know WASH know that doesn’t take long, and stay until the Red Bull is gone. Kids come in droves with their bikes as word spreads around the neighborhood and the workshop stays busy moving as Jon and Tivona move from one bike to the next. Although informal, they like to keep the kids engaged in the process of fixing their bikes by handing them tools, explaining what needs to be done, and encouraging them to help accomplish it. Even WASH’s own Barrett has been caught with a wrench in hand making some slight adjustments.
“The “Bike Love Workshop” has been running incredibly well and is a really fun, relaxed, and productive environment. A lot of the kids who come by are interested in learning how to fix up their bikes and are actively engaged using the tools and getting some basic mechanic skills. GObike is thrilled to have made this connection with WASH and is looking forward to continuing it as long as possible!
“There will be no Bike Love Workshop this Thursday because artist in residence Kyla Kegler has taken over WASH making puppets for the Circus of Life Parade. It will return on the 8th at 2pm!”
Photos: WASH and GOBike Buffalo