Windsor's first 'Bike Kitchen' has officially opened its doors.
"We're essentially cooking up community bikes for the community," says Mechanic Education Coordinator Oliver Swainson.
Launched by Bike Windsor-Essex, the space will provide cyclists with a meeting place to work on their bikes with five fully equipped work stations.
Swainson heads up the 'Bike Kitchen' and says they'll be offering an 'Earn-a-Bike' program as well geared toward youth and those in low income situations.
"They can take the time to come to our clinics, learn the skills to fix up a bike. Eventually they'll gain the skills and the opportunity to select a final frame that will become theirs once they do the final restoration on it."
He says owning a bike can open up new doors.
"It teaches them life long skills. It empowers them to be able to repair and manage and take care of their own transportation and gives them new opportunities to be able to take different forms of transportation if they need it to get to a job.)
Swainson adds, they want to get youth riding bikes who may not be able to afford them.
"We're seeing all time high levels of obesity. So encouraging kids to get back on bikes, giving them a community space so they can come, learn from their peers, there's all those aspects that we're hoping to achieve with this program."
The new 'Bike Kitchen' is located at Bike Windsor-Essex at 101 University Ave West.
More information can be found at www.bikewindsoressex.com.