Ottawa Citizen

The Island of Refit Toys

Carleton student enters contest with idea to turn trash into treasures

- MELISSA WOOD

A Carleton University student with a clever idea to help turn trash into treasures is one of six finalists in a contest to “start something” and is in the running to receive a $5,000 grant and mentoring, which she would use to open a workshop and retail outlet for recycled items.

Nikki Zhang, an architectu­re student specializi­ng in conservati­on and sustainabi­lity, submitted her idea, the Upcycling Garage/Island of Refit Toys, after learning about the contest on studentawa­rds.com, an online resource for informatio­n about student scholarshi­ps, bursaries, cash prizes and other forms of financial assistance.

The contest, Start Something with Alesse, provides funding and guidance to two young adults looking to “start something,” such as creating a charity, producing a play or film, starting a company or another initiative of their choice.

Nikki’s idea, inspired in part by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’s Island of Misfit Toys, is two-fold.

The Upcycling Garage is a dropin workshop where visitors will find materials, such as hammers and nails, sewing machines and power tools to help them take an old item and make it new again. The workshop will also hire experience­d staff to help people achieve their creative potential. “The workshop is not just a place with tools,” says Nikki. “It’s a community. You could come in with one idea and leave with three more.”

The Island of Refit Toys is the “restore” where customers can purchase items such as fabric glue, thread or even broken watch pieces that they may need for their upcycling project. Upcycled items, or “treasures” as Nikki prefers to call them, created by staff or visitors, can be sold at the “re-store” on consignmen­t. “My ultimate goal is to start a social trend that could effectivel­y reduce landfills and help people realize that adapting existing buildings is better than demolishin­g and building new ones.”

Two winners will be selected based on public votes. To vote for Nikki, visit startsomet­hingwithal­esse.com.

 ??  ?? Nikki Zhang’s idea provides for a drop-in workshop where people can restore old items, and a ‘re-store’ to sell them.
Nikki Zhang’s idea provides for a drop-in workshop where people can restore old items, and a ‘re-store’ to sell them.

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