A non-profit society that gives bicycles to people who can’t afford to buy them may need to close its bike shop after a “perfect storm” of bad luck.

Our Community Bikes — normally in sound financial shape — is going into the slow winter season tens of thousands of dollars in debt after a forced move and resulting weak sales.

Jesse Cooper, who has worked at the agency for 12 years, said he’s concerned the shop — which is critical to a lineup of therapy and training programs for youth and adults facing barriers — might not recover, but he hasn’t given up hope.

“It’s going to be a long hard road,” Cooper said. “I have some concerns, but I also have a lot of faith in the community to stand with us. “

The trouble began when the shop was forced to move from its home of 23 years during peak bike-buying season when they were hit with a big jump in lease payments. The shop lost almost a week of revenue in the move, and without a budget to advertise the new location, Cooper said sales have yet to rebound since settling into the new space at 2429 Main St.

If it is unable to balance its books, a range of services run by PEDAL — its charitable parent society — will be at risk. The society is funded by donations from businesses, government and community members, but it is normally also subsidized by bike shop profits.

Some programs have already been limited to protect PEDAL’s most successful ones, including the “Pedals for the People” program, Cooper said.

In full swing, the shop can put about a dozen bikes a month in the hands of people who can’t afford them. The program has been on pause while staff adjusted to the smaller space, but it will be back shortly with help from community partners and volunteers trained to build bikes to order.

Among staff members are adults with a range of barriers who contribute to the day-to-day operations of the shop, which also does pro bono bike repairs for people in need.

“The social safety net that’s provided for them ensures that they have something to do, to help keep them busy or safe, or happy or healthy — to find that therapy in interacting with the general public,” Cooper said. “It’s also really cool to see how the general public comes into our space and they get to interact with people with barriers that they may never encounter in their own lives.”

Cooper said anyone interested in helping the group stay afloat could consider coming down to the shop when they need a bike, a part, or servicing, or if they have unwanted bikes, parts or tools to donate. Another way to help is by donating directly to PEDAL at pedalpower.org.

mrobinson@vancouversun.com

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