Guelph’s bike repair lady finally catches a ‘brake’

Mary Rife fixes a bike in her Guelph, Ont. garage. (CTV News/Spencer Turcotte)

A Guelph woman who fought city hall and won in a bid to keep operating a bicycle repair service out of her garage, which benefits charity, scored another victory Thursday night.

Mary Rife is finally getting a refund on the fee she had spent on her successful fight for a property zoning variance.

Rife’s son, Jake Branch, was at the Committee of Adjustment meeting advocating on her behalf because in true Mary fashion, she couldn’t attend since she is in Florida fixing up bikes for migrant farm workers.

“I’m asking today that the money that was intended for the work of the Stephen Lewis Foundation in Africa be returned to the Stephen Lewis Foundation,” Branch told the committee – a reference to a charity Rife supports with the bike repair proceeds.

A complaint to the city about her charitable bicycle repair service resulted in Rife having to pay the $1,900 fee to apply for a zoning variance, which was eventually granted and allowed her to continue the work.

"At the last committee meeting, we heard how the Stephen Lewis Foundation was giving a young lady in Africa carpentry training and tools so that she could build caskets for all the people, babies included, that are dying from the AIDS epidemic there,” said Branch.

Despite being told she could continue repairing out of her garage, Rife was told she would not be getting the $1,900 back.

“If only first world people were involved, that would be fine. Except this time the money wasn't first world money. It was money that was destined for the third world,” said Branch.

Rife made an impassioned plea for that money to be returned and was backed by 120 letters from neighbours.

Although refunds are typically issued when an application has been withdrawn, which is not the case here, the committee was moved.

“Perhaps it’s the spirit of the holidays that will make support this,” said Chair James Smith. “Perhaps we should consider it the City of Guelph’s gift to the Stephen Lewis Foundation.”

The committee unanimously approved a full refund, allowing Rife to finally make it over the hump after pedalling uphill for so long.

CTV News called her to get her reaction immediately following the meeting.

“Wooohooo. I’m pretty excited,” said Rife. “When you consider the average wage in the country that I visited, Malawi, it was $50 a month for a teacher. That’s a huge sum over there – $1,900. It’s huge. That will fund so many projects.”

While Mary is making a difference around the world, Guelph is not forgotten. She will be repairing bikes from her garage again after a winter break starting April 1.