117 Bikes Collected During Bike Recycling Program At Hidden Oaks

BOLINGBROOK, IL — 117 bikes were collected during the fall Recycle Your Bicycle program at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook, according to a release from the Forest Preserve District of Will County.

This was the first year that the bikes were collected at a second site; in previous years, bikes were only collected at Monee Reservoir in Monee Township.

Monee's collection event generated 72 bikes this fall, for a total of 189 between the two sites, the preserve said.

The bikes are picked up by Chicago-based Working Bikes and redistributed locally and abroad for use by those in need, according to the preserve. Some are sold in the Chicago shop to fund the non-profit group.

Jason Stevenson, concessions manager at Monee Reservoir, said a number of vintage bikes were turned in this year.

Angie Trobaugh, facility supervisor at Hidden Lakes, said a nice variety of bikes were turned in to the Bolingbrook site as well.

“We received classics brands like Schwinn and Carlton as well as high end Treks and more," she said in a release. "And someone dropped off a tandem bike.”

Hidden Oaks also received two or three containers full of random spare bike parts, Trobaugh added.

“And some of the local police departments took advantage of the bike drop off to give confiscated or unclaimed bikes new life.”

Trobaugh said she always gets a good feeling when bikes are donated because they are going to a good cause.

“This program produces so many wins on so many levels,” she said in a release.

People grow out of bikes physically or mentally, so it’s nice that there is a place where these bicycles can be recycled to those who need them, Trobaugh added.

“For many, Recycle Your Bicycle is an opportunity to clear out room in the garage. For others it is a perfect opportunity to see their very special sentimental bike that they no longer use go to a good home.”

Working Bikes has distributed more than 100,000 bikes since 1999, according to the preserve. Around 6,500 bikes are shipped annually to bike projects in Latin American and Africa; and 800 to 1,000 bikes are donated in the Chicagoland area to community agencies including veteran hospitals, health and human service agencies, transitional housing facilities, youth organizations, community centers and schools.