Whitby, Ont. bike shop seeks donations of old bikes for Syrian refugees over the holidays

With the holiday season upon us, one bike shop in Whitby, Ont. has a special kind of giving in mind.

The shop, Impala Bicycles, is looking to the community for donations of old bikes, which would then be refurbished and donated to Syrian refugees—a large influx of whom are expected to arrive in the Whitby area next month, DurhamRegion.com reported.

Like it has in other Canadian cities such as Halifax, the outreach, owner Glyn Walters told reporters, is “starting to bear some fruit.”

“After their ordeal,” he said, “what could be nicer for the children than having the freedom to ride a bike? Adults, too, will require bikes, many just for basic transportation.” Much of the shop’s appeal to local cyclists has been made via social media, with Facebook posts asking for bikes in good, basic condition. Once donated, Impala Bicycles—in partnership with the Community Development Council of Durham, reports say—will perform minor repairs, getting them into good riding shape. When they’re ready, the CDCD will distribute them among the area’s new arrivals.

There’s no limit or preference for the type of bike donated, DurhamRegion.com said; Impala Bicycles is looking for an assortment—bikes suitable to men, women and kids of varying ages. “We don’t have a goal in mind,” Watlters said. “We know that there’s quite a lot of refugees coming to Durham and we want a cross section of bikes.”

“I’ve arranged for storage,” he added, “because we don’t have enough room to store them all ourselves. We’ll take as many as we can get.”

Donated bikes can be dropped off at Impala Bicycles, located at 1818 Dundas St. East in Whitby, Ontario.