GEAR UP: Orange City Council Aboriginal youth project worker Kurt Beahan with Adrian Fernando, Jai Kelly, Fergus O'Shea and Gerard O'Shea during Saturday's bike repair session in Glenroi. Photo: NADINE MORTON 0915nmbike6
IT was a grease and oil change with a difference at the Glenroi community Gear Up on Saturday.
People came together at the Glenroi community centre for a bike repair session as part of the annual NSW Bike Week events held across Orange.
Volunteers offered their time to the young people of Glenroi to get their bikes back on the road with puncture repairs and other minor repairs.
Orange City Council Aboriginal youth project worker Kurt Beahan said for many people in the area a bicycle is the main form of transport.
“A lot don’t have transport, they get a flat tyre and don’t know how to fix them,” he said.
Mr Beahan said the session was also aimed at giving the children skills to conduct their own repairs on bikes.
Mr Beahan said you see a lot of children walking around the Glenroi and Bowen areas and it was nice for volunteers to give their time to help get some of the kids’ bikes back on the road.
Peter Boulton from Boulton Bicycles, Jim Doak and Robert Alford were among the volunteers who gave their time to help on the day and were busy fixing a BMX bike.
Gerard O’Shea and his son Fergus also attended the bike repair session and were conducting repairs on Fergus’s BMX.
“It’s just got a flat tyre and needs a bit of a grease and oil change and a bell for safety,” Mr O’Shea said.
Mr Beahan said the upcoming Community Bike Ride and Treasure Hunt on Saturday September 22 should be a popular one with the community.
It will commence at 10.30am from the Cootes Access Centre and will be aimed for the whole family with a barbecue and games following the treasure hunt.