Tune up your bike at local library
The People’s Place Library is well-known in Antigonish as a central part of the community. The library has just gained some utility, and become a bit handier for locals, with the addition of a bike repair stand just outside the building.
"We thought it would be a helpful service for the many people in the community who are cyclists," Kristel Fleuren-hunter, librarian and children’s services librarian with the People’s Place, said.
"A lot of people come here on bikes. It’s nice to have that service to offer to help promote cycling culture in the area."
Fleuren-hunter’s hunch was correct, as the stand has been seeing steady traffic since it was set up. The stand was installed two weeks ago, and according to library staff, it has already seen a great deal of use from local cyclists. The stand consists of several tools that have proven to be of great utility to local cyclists. These include several items tethered to the stand itself, such as screw drivers, and an array of nozzles attached to an air pump.
"The stand, and all the tools attached to it, were purchased by the Antigonish Friends of the Library," Fleuren-hunter said. "The Friends of the Library talked about sponsoring a bike repair stand for some time – it was on the to-do list for quite a while," Fleuren-hunter said. "They got around to ordering and installing it."
Fleuren-hunter described having the stand set up as "kind of satisfying," especially in light of all the people using it.
Another member of staff with the library pointed out that the presence of a utility like the repair stand is helping youth get outside, now that they are able to fix their bikes and keep them in prime shape.
Fleuren-hunter said, "We offer a lot of different things here, and I was happy to see people are getting some enjoyment out of it. It’s something they can use, and something that’s beneficial to the community."