About
History
Board of Directors
Support
About PEDAL
PEDAL stands for Pedal Energy Development ALternatives. It is an umbrella organization for several bicycle related projects in the Vancouver area. Currently the main projects of PEDAL are Our Community Bikes, the PEDAL Bike Depot and After School Bike Program.
Why we do what we do By recycling and refurbishing bicycles, PEDAL takes bikes out of the waste stream, offers affordable bikes for sale, and encourages cycling as a sustainable, healthy transportation choice. Our mission is to:
EMPOWER * Teach people how to fix and maintain their own bikes * Offer work and experience and occupational therapy to volunteers from social service organizations
ENABLE * Provide free bikes to low-income individuals, as access to transportation is essential to participation in the world and accessing social and economic resources * Develop and distribute pedal-powered technologies in rural and local communities
EDUCATE * Train and teach people to fix their own bikes, learn mechanic and bicycle safety skills * By promoting the use of bicycles and pedal-powered technologies, PEDAL improves our common environment from global climate change
History
PEDAL grew out of Our Community Bikes (OCB) which was started in 1993 as a project of BEST (Better Environmentally Sound Transportation). The original idea was to provide a do-it-yourself bike shop and recycling service to commuter cyclist in Vancouver. In the spring of 1999, BEST transferred OCB to Pedal Engery Development ALternatives and a new non-profit society was born. See more about our history here.
Support
There are a number of ways you can support Pedal. Here is a brief overview. For more information go to our Support page.
Joining Pedal – Become a member, use Pedal’s bicycle repair services and receive other benefits.
Volunteering – Learn great hands-on skills and have fun as a volunteer at Pedal. There are a number of different volunteer options at Pedal, ranging from stripping used bikes to sitting as a Director.
Bicycle Donations – Give Pedal that old bicycle collecting dust in your basement or garage. Pedal will refurbish it and find another owner that is looking for free or inexpensive transportation. Alternatively, Pedal will strip the bike and the usable parts will find new homes on other bicycles and any remaining materials will be recycled.
Financial Donations – You can support Pedal by donating through the Pedal Foundation, receive an income tax receipt and save on your taxes.
Volunteering As A Board Member Pedal is interested in anyone that wants to sit on the volunteer Board of Directors. This is both a fun a rewarding experience. In particular Pedal is looking for people that have small business or non-profit experiences, however we will consider anyone that has a passion to promote cycling. Please contact any of the staff or Directors for more information on how to become a Director or email info@pedalpower.org.
Board of Directors
PEDAL currently has 6 volunteer Directors. They meet several times per year to discuss PEDAL programs, news and financials. New members are always welcome