Based in the scout hall in Gray St, Milton Upcycle is an opportunity promoted by Project Bruce, Clutha District Council and Southern Youth Development (SYD).
"We sold two refurbished bikes and had about a dozen people bring their bikes in for a tune-up with the bike mechanics," Project Bruce’s Catherine Paul said, "And Sport Clutha led a group ride along the cycle trail."
Last year, SYD’s Crooked Spoke workshop salvaged about 800 bikes from Dunedin landfill, put about 350 back into use and managed parts and scrap-metal on the rest.
Modelling the idea, Milton Upcycle recently sifted tips and wreckers for every recyclable cycle in Clutha and now has a sizable hoard at the scout hall ready to be good as new.
"We have plenty of young people keen to choose and rebuild their own bike," Mrs Paul said, "What we’re looking for are volunteer project leaders.
"Someone who can open the hall at regular times and co-ordinate the resources that are all standing by — tools and training resources from SYD, plenty of stock, schools and volunteers whose own first bike could be one they stripped, cleaned and rebuilt themselves."
Upcycle received about $11,000 in seed funding earlier this year when the proposal’s environmental, fitness and wellbeing potential coincided with the Clutha Gold Trail’s dramatic boost to local and national cycling culture.
"We’re picturing a chilled-out workshop where selected volunteers are welcome to choose a bike for themselves and learn how to fix it up by working on others from the stock. We know there are lots of kids who want to learn practical skills and we have to encourage that, because communities literally rely on the sort of people who know how to use a set of spanners."
Milton Upcycle is refining its first open-day learnings into structured training opportunities, planned for before Christmas.
Adults who think they could do their bit to help track Gold Trail growth into sustainable cycle culture should contact Project Bruce.
