Dennis Baker has been nursing a labour of love in a Burnaby housing complex for the past decade. The Burnaby man collects old children’s bikes, spends all year fixing them up and, come December, donates them to the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau. He’s a Lougheed Lions Club member, and his bike repair efforts are part of the group’s commitment to serve others. He works out of a garage in a low-income housing project in Burnaby, run by the Lougheed Lions. He welcomes donations of used children’s bikes. Just call 604-524-3432 to arrange a drop-off.
Q&A:
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
Myself? Well, I’m 78 years old, and I’ve been doing this for 10 years.
And how many bikes do you refurbish?
Last year, I gave the bureau 101. All refurbished, looking brand new.
What got you started in this?
We operate a low-income housing project, and when people moved and so on, they often left bicycles behind. And they sat out in the rain and got all rusty, and I thought, “Surely I can do something with these bikes.” So the first year I gathered up six that were sitting around outside, brought them into the shop, took them all apart, sanded and painted them, got them looking brand new again, and I thought, “Well now what the hell do I do with them?” So a lady that works for us in the travel business said, “Phone my friend that works down at the Christmas Bureau.” So I phoned Chris Bayliss, (executive director of the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau), and I said, “Chris, could you use six really good refurbished bicycles?” and he said, “Oh could I ever.”
So I sent them down to him, and he was so impressed, he said, “How about next year? Could you do some more for next year?” and I said sure. And that was 10 years ago.
How do you know how to fix the bikes? Do you have a background in bicycle mechanics?
Nope, just trial and error.
So you’re self-taught?
Totally self-taught, but I’m mechanically inclined. I like working with machines and things like that.
What did you do before you retired?
I was a salesman. I sold office supplies for Grand & Toy.
Are you the only guy doing the fixing?
No, I have two other guys who help me on a semi-regular basis and the other one on a semi-regular basis. So there are three of us working on them.
Do you ever get to see the kids’ reactions when they receive the bikes?
No, never.
Why do you keep doing it?
Because I know it’s for a better cause. I know that some kid that can’t afford a bike, how his eyes will light up when he sees a really nice bicycle under the Christmas tree. And that’s why I do it.
I’m sure they freak out when they see it. That’s a pretty big deal, getting a bike when you’re a kid.
Oh yeah, for sure. Plus it’s fun. I enjoy it. I tell people I’m smart like a school bus, but I like working with my hands.
Do you want people to bring you more bikes?
Right now I have 50 to work on. To be honest with you, I would never turn down kids’ bikes. I’m not looking for adult bikes at all, just kids’ bikes, because Christmas is for the kids as far as I’m concerned. Adult bikes, I give them to the homeless people.
That’s nice. So you fix those up, too?
Only to make them serviceable. I don’t paint them at all, just to make them serviceable.
