Guelph Bike Lady to resume charity repair shop thanks to community support

It’s been a wild two months for Mary Rife.

For the last fourteen years, she has been repairing used and unwanted bicycles out of the garage at her home on Arkell Street. Rife then resells the bikes with all proceeds going to the Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF), a charity that focuses on supporting people with AIDS and HIV in Africa.

But back in October, Rife was approached by Guelph bylaw who said they had received a complaint and she would have to close up shop. She was given the option to file for a variance that would circumvent the bylaw, but just applying cost $1,900.

Rife ultimately submitted the application and was granted the variance but the money was now gone. Money she had borrowed from a pending donation to SLF.

She applied to have the money returned but that application was rejected. She told The Mike Farwell her son spoke to the committee on her behalf to try to have the city waive the fee.

“He spoke very well,” she said. “The committee of adjustment overruled city staff and granted the waiver which is almost unheard of. So, it’s the best Christmas present ever.”

Rife says she was blown away by the support from the community.

“People were so angry that I would be shut down. I never realized the support that I had. People wrote letters. I mean, the city received 120 emails in support, none against. They’ve never had that many emails supporting a variance.”

In the end, the $1,900 was returned and Rife plans to resume the bike repair operation in the spring.