Used, donated bicycles have been tuned up and are helping newcomers to Canada adapt to life in Prince Albert.
The Prince Albert Active Transportation Committee's Bicycle Recycle Program donated seven bikes to YWCA Newcomers to Canada.
"We applied for specific families who needed them for specific reasons. A lot of them are dependent on the bus, so having a bike allows them to have access to the community after 7 p.m.," said Tara Switenky, a settlement counsellor.
Yusuf Mohammad Warsame received one of the bikes late last week and spent most of the weekend practising.
"It's very useful for me already," he said.
Warsame grew up in Somalia and learned to ride there, but lived in Ethiopia as a refugee for many years, so now he's relearning to ride to make everyday chores easier.
"It's quite important to me, I'm always going to town and home," he said.
Loe Tham Maung also received one of the bicycles, which he will share with his family.
Some of them already know how to ride, but not Maung.
"I can't ride on bicycle (yet)," he said.
He didn't have the opportunity to ride while he was living as a refugee in Thailand, but already has plans for the bicycle when he's good at riding it.
"To go to my friend's house and to Superstore to buy food," he said.
The bikes are also a significant cost-saving measure for these families, said Switenky.
A bus pass costs more than $50, so a bike is a free mode of transportation and helps stretch the family finances further, she said.
"Without it, a lot of the families wouldn't have the funds to get a bike or they wouldn't see it as a priority ... but it is essential," she said.
It's also good for recreation and helps the newcomers integrate into the community, Switenky said.
"I really, really like it," she said.
The Bicycle Recycle Program takes donated bikes, stores them at the Habitat Restore while they undergo repairs, then the bikes are distributed through community organizations that work with children, youth and families. This is the second year of the program.
