Fix is in for Repair Cafe founders, aiming to repair stuff and planet
Credit to Author: Denise Ryan| Date: Sun, 25 Aug 2019 00:04:03 +0000
Yining Sun and Dan Withers want you to stop throwing out your stuff.
And if the turnout at their inaugural “Repair Cafe,” a free drop-in clinic to fix electronics, ripped clothing, fractured sunglasses and broken appliances is any indication, Vancouver is ready to start repairing stuff, rather than throwing it away.
About 100 people showed up Saturday at Hillcrest Community Centre, including Herbir Bhatti who waited patiently with a broken blender.
“My wife sent me,” he said, pulling the blender’s housing out of a bag. “But it’s not good timing because I was supposed to take my son to the PNE.”
His 10-year-old son, Gursimran, nodded shyly. Gursimran, whose favourite ride at the PNE is The Pirate Ship, said he had nothing to be repaired.
Dan Withers and Yining Sun co founders of the Repair Cafe.
Dan Withers, one of the founders of the Metro Van Repair Cafe, said a broken blender is a perfect example of what can be easily fixed. But the era of the small repair shop is long gone — tin smiths, fix-it shops, clock and repair shops, vacuum specialists have slowly disappeared.
“It can cost $30 just to have someone look at your blender,” said Withers, “and an hourly rate to repair. Most people would just give up and buy a new one.”
Withers, an electrical engineer, is determined to fix Vancouver’s repair problem, by bringing the Repair Cafe — a concept that originated in Amsterdam in 2009 — to Metro Vancouver.
Withers, 33, started volunteering last year with Repair Matters, a local community group that runs repair initiatives along with Free Geek a non-profit that reuses and recycles donated electronics — and he got inspired.
Withers and his partner Yining Sun decided to launch Metro Van Repair Cafes as a regular series of community events.
“I grew up in a family of five boys. My parents were thrifty and they repaired what they could, and saved money where they could,” said Withers.
“The stuff that comes in is often really small and easy to fix, but to get a repair person to look at it can cost as much as buying something new,” said Withers, who is looking for funding partners and materials and parts sponsors who want to come on board with the initiative.
Mimi Chan brought in two pairs of broken sunglasses. “I love accessories,” said Chan, “but they break easily. This is green activity that can help save money and also save the planet.”
The sunglasses were handed over to Rozi Hardy, a volunteer who specializes in sewing repairs, but also has a knack for glasses — and the right kind of glue.
“I’ve always liked to do things with my hands, and making things,” said Hardy.
Brian Cook has a look at Herbir Bhatti’s blender.
Over at the appliance table, 65-year-old Brian Cook, who said he supported himself for 40 years doing electrical repairs while also working as a guitar player, was not so sure about Bhatti’s blender.
“This blender is very interesting,” explained Cook as Bhatti and his son Gursimran looked on. “There is usually one problem. A broken switch, a poor contact. …”
“But can it be fixed?” asked Bhatti, “because I was supposed to take my son to the PNE.”
“In this case there is a thermal fuse that is blown,” said Cook. “It cannot be fixed.”
“OK,” said Bhatti, happy that he had least tried.
Gursimran’s face brightened. “Now we can go on the Pirate Ship.”
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