Two new “Bicycle Fix-It” stations are now available in Portage la Prairie, giving riders a handy way to tune up their bikes while on the go.
The equipment is installed at the west side of the Causeway walking path and the northeast corner of the Bridge Road and Meighen Avenue walking path, with a third station expected this fall at Simplot Central Park.
The Portage Active Transportation Committee purchased the stations, and the City of Portage la Prairie is helping promote them as a valuable public resource.
Each unit includes a post for hanging a bike, basic tools, and an air pump to help with minor repairs.
Built for quick roadside fixes
“There’s a post for hanging your bike so you can get it up off the ground while you’re doing work,” notes Jocelyn Lequier-Jobin, Director of Operations. “Then there’s several different tools you can use for tightening bolts, adjusting your tires… all kinds of smaller things you might need to do while you’re out and about.”
Lequier-Jobin says the city also has similar stations located along Saskatchewan Avenue and at Red River College.
“We tried to space them around the city, but also put them in places where we know there’s traffic,” adds Lequier-Jobin.
Keeping them safe and available
The tools are secured to the stations, but the city is prepared to respond if vandalism becomes an issue.
“They are quite secured, and they’re fairly easy to replace if they did get stolen,” continues Lequier-Jobin. “We may get some graffiti at times, but we’ll deal with that as it comes up.”
Cyclists are encouraged to keep an eye out for the stations on their next ride, especially with the third unit still to come.
Sign up to get the latest local news headlines delivered directly to your inbox every afternoon.
Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@portageonline.com.
PortageOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the PortageOnline app.