Guelph woman geared up to restart charitable bike repair

A Guelph woman will soon resume repairing bicycles at her home thanks to an outpouring of support from the community.

Mary Rife has been fixing and selling bikes out of her garage for the last 14 years. In 2024 alone, she said she sold 296 bikes and raised over $25,000. That money, she told CTV News, goes to the Stephen Lewis Foundation to help people in Africa living with HIV and AIDS.

But all that work came to an abrupt halt in October after the city’s bylaw department received a complaint.

Rife previously told CTV News a bylaw inspector said she couldn’t run a business from her garage, couldn’t display bikes on her lawn and she couldn’t have a advertising sign on her property.

Rife refused to simply give up, and instead applied for an official variance that would allow her to continue her work.

Speaking to Guelph’s Committee of Adjustment on Thursday, she said it was never her intention to contravene the city’s bylaw. She just wanted to do some good in the community and continue her passion project.

“I’m sure I have broken the letter of some of the bylaws at other times, but never the intent, which is to protect my community from harm.”

Rife made an impassioned plea for the variance that would allow her to continue doing her charitable work, telling the committee it is about more than just fixing bikes.

“People feel good when they donate their bikes to a good cause instead of adding to the landfill. The city benefits from recycling and from promoting healthy and environmentally-friendly transportation. Low-income families and students get bikes that they can actually afford. Local churches who sponsor refugee families know that they can come and receive a free bike for their refugees. The Optimist Club of Puslinch Bike Rodeo and the Love Your Bike Festival downtown get free safety checks and minor repairs for the folks who attend their events. High schoolers can come and volunteer with me and learn a beneficial skill while working toward their 40 hours of [community] service they need to graduate. Kids get free lessons on how to ride a bike, and it’s just great fun.”

She said she couldn’t understand why her project was viewed in a negative light.

“In the case of this variance, I have tried to wrack my brain to think of what possible harm I could have done to somebody that would cause them to complain, and I honestly couldn’t come up with anything.”

The community stands up

When Rife spoke to the committee, she may have been standing at the podium by herself, but she certainly wasn’t alone.

The committee’s agenda contained more than 100 letters of support for Rife.

“Mary has been supporting charities through her bike repair activities for years with no trouble. That some officious busybody can anonymously complain and cost her $1,900 for a variance is a travesty. Guelph needs to re-examine complaint-based enforcement methods, or simply have staff use their brains instead of mindlessly following procedure,” Mike Mahoney wrote.

“Please add my name to the list of people in support of Mary Rife, who is repairing and selling bicycles from her home on Arkell Rd. She is doing the Lord’s work and I respectfully ask you to approve her variance request,” Stew Horsley said.

Some people even went to the committee meeting in person to share the positive impact Rife has had on the community.

Rife said the vocal majority of people speaking in her favour has emboldened her.

“Good has come from all of this mess. I have never ever felt such an outpouring of love and support from the people whose lives I have somehow touched. From the bottom of my heart, I thank each and every one of you. I am truly grateful and blessed.”

Many community members also requested the city return the application fee Rife paid to request the variance.

The decision

Ultimately, the committee agreed to grant the variance request that will allow Rife to continue her work, but on one condition.

Staff asked that Rife ensure the size and location of her display area is in general conformity with the property’s site plan.

CTV News caught up with Rife on Friday and asked what comes next.

“I am closed for the season until April because I don’t work in the garage – it’s too cold with my arthritic fingers to do that, so I’ll wait until spring,” she said.

With reporting from Spencer Turcotte