Four year-old Luisa with her "new" bicycle
A scheme to collect unwanted bicycles and parts and recycle them into functioning bikes proved a big success for Blacktown City Council.
"Bicycle Recycle" was made possible after Council received a Housing NSW Eco-Wise Community Grant to implement the program, which saw the revamped bikes given away to local residents.
In 2009 Council held three Bicycle Recycle giveaways in Blacktown and Emerton.
Initially, the goal of Bicycle Recycle was to repair a total of 20 bikes and donate them back to the community. However, community support for the program was high and more than 400 unwanted bicycles were donated – and probably saved from landfill.
Volunteers managed to transform the donations into approximately 100 fully-functioning bicycles throughout the year.
Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Charlie Lowles, said the program encouraged the community to recycle and promoted a practical and unique way of reducing our impact on the environment.
Volunteer Ray Donaldson (left), with the Mayor of Blacktown City, Councillor Charlie Lowles
"The number of donated bicycles received from the community was overwhelming, highlighting the community's dedication to being proactive in caring for the environment," Mayor Lowles said.
The program promotes re-use and recycling within homes and among communities, educates residents about the effects of illegal dumping, and trains local social housing tenants in new skills.
The program may return bigger and better in 2010. "Council is currently evaluating the entire Bicycle Recycle program with new opportunities/initiatives being explored to build on the project's already many successes," Mayor Lowles said.