For this week’s #myclimateplan feature, we spoke with Simone Mutabazi. Simone is the Coordinator for the Pop Up Bike Hub – an innovative bike repair shop on wheels in Nova Scotia, Canada that has grown into much more than a place to patch your tires.
In this article, Simone talks about the importance of supporting active forms of transportation like biking, how the Pop Up Bike Hub is helping rural communities get around in a safe and sustainable way, and the power of community-supported solutions.
—
Simone Mutabazi and the Pop Up Bike Hub are reshaping how people move and connect in Nova Scotia.
The origins of the Pop Up Bike Hub trace back to a grassroots initiative called Welcoming Wheels. A partnership between the Ecology Action Centre (EAC) and Immigration Services Association of Nova Scotia, Welcoming Wheels supplied bicycles to hundreds of Syrian refugees.
According to the EAC, the goal was “to provide newcomers with cycling opportunities to increase wellness, equity, access, connectedness, and environmental health.”
But the program revealed a challenge: after receiving bicycles, few were able to maintain or repair them.
Simone says, “So many of the people who received bikes lived in areas without access to a bike repair shop. And even if they could get to one, the cost of repairs was out of reach. Many of the bikes fell into disrepair and stopped being used.”
So, the EAC launched The Pop Up Bike Hub in 2020, with Simone on board to shape its vision.
She explains, “The Pop Up Bike Hub is a mobile cargo trailer that’s been retrofitted to house bike tools and bike supplies. We travel around the province repairing bikes, and sharing resources on safe cycling to the communities who need them most – free of charge.”
But the vision extends beyond bike repairs. Simone explains, “Transportation is 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions in Nova Scotia. To have a chance at reducing those emissions, we knew that creating a shift toward more sustainable modes of transportation was essential. So our work focuses on cycling, walking and rolling.”
She also recognized the need for the program to be grounded in equity, saying “The infrastructure and resources that support modes of active transportation – especially cycling – tend to be concentrated in areas of higher wealth. So we wanted to focus our efforts on areas who didn’t have this level of access. We also wanted to work with each community to meet their specific needs.”
Simone helped develop a partnership with The Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq to bring the Hub to First Nations communities in mainland Nova Scotia.
Word quickly spread, and The Pop Up Bike Hub was soon travelling to communities across Nova Scotia. To date, they’ve gotten over 2,000 bikes back on the road and provided safe cycling and bike repair resources to countless youth and adults.
Simone and her team collected what they learned in their travels, and integrated the needs of each community into their advocacy work. She explains, “Being in community helps us to understand what the active transportation needs are in different places around the province – especially rural areas.”
She continues, “We use the information we gather from communities to advocate for better policies and infrastructure. Our goal is to help more Nova Scotians choose safe and sustainable alternatives to get around.”
Looking at the road ahead, Simone hopes that this program will continue to grow in communities throughout Nova Scotia and beyond. To support this, the EAC has released a how-to guidebook full of resources to help anyone start a bike repair hub in their own community.
Simone says, “You don’t need any bike repair skills to start. I didn’t have any! But the learning process is really fun.” She also offers her support to anyone who might be interested in starting something similar in their community, saying, “We will be here every step of the way. Reach out to me – I’d be more than happy to help.”
This community spirit is one of the drivers for Simone, and one she hopes will inspire others.
She shares, “In doing something like this, you get to be part of a community of people who are passionate about similar things. You get to learn from one another and do meaningful work to improve the wellbeing of individuals and communities. I really encourage others to try it – you might learn something new about yourself and what you’re capable of.”
To learn more or support the Pop Up Bike Hub, you can visit the Ecology Action Centre’s website.
And if Simone’s story resonates with you, we invite you to join My Climate Plan as a founding member to take action together for a climate safe future.
How to build a DIY air purifier for 1/2 of the cost of buying one