Bring your broken stuff to Ridge Meadows Recycling Society’s Repair Café on Saturday, April 18 on the Maple Ridge Bandstand in Memorial Peace Park during Earth Day! Repair Cafés are pop-up events where residents can bring their broken items and volunteer “fixers” are available to help residents learn how to repair their small appliances, lamps, electronics, jewelry, clothing, bicycles, small toys, or furniture.
Since launching Repair Cafés in 2018, Ridge Meadows Recycling Society has hosted 56 repair events and residents have brought almost 3500 items to be fixed. Ridge Meadows Recycling Society is grateful to the City of Maple Ridge and Metro Vancouver for supporting Maple Ridge Repair Cafes.
“Repair Cafes have such a positive impact both socially and environmentally,” says Ridge Meadows Recycling Society Executive Director Alda Nicmans, “They are a great community-builder AND they help divert things away from the landfill. Whether you are volunteering as a fixer or bringing something to be fixed, Repair Cafes are full of feel-good moments and personal connections.”
Ridge Meadows Recycling Society has worked to build sustainability in our community for over 50 years and looks forward to a year of continued partnerships with the City of Maple Ridge, Metro Vancouver, the Maple Ridge Library, the Ridge Meadows Seniors Society, the Haney Farmers Market, the Maple Ridge Museum, Celebrate Earth Day, GETI Fest, and more!
Maple Ridge Repair Cafés aim to:
- Promote & encourage repair in a modern way
- Enable valuable repair expertise to be learned and shared
- Promote social connections in the local community
- Repair and reuse items that would’ve ended up in the landfill
- Encourage kids to get hands on with tools and learn how things work
- Provide support to others who wish to start up their own Repair Cafes
Tinkerbell Station is a part of every Maple Ridge Repair Café and is a home-grown initiative to encourage kids to get hands-on with tools & “tinker” with items at the end of their life. Old toasters, tv remotes, keyboards, and more are provided for kids to take apart. With adult help, kids can use screwdrivers and pliers to take them apart and see how they work, then get creative to make robots, jewelry, or their own original creations with the pieces. Tinkerbell herself will be joining the April 18 Earth Day Repair Café!
“We have so many amazing volunteers at our Repair Cafes,” says Leanne Koehn, Repair Café Coordinator and Community Engagement Manager for Ridge Meadows Recycling Society, “We have people of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels who enjoy the camaraderie and giving back to their community. We always appreciate new volunteers who express interest and want to join our team as fixers or assistants to help with registration, event setup & takedown, or monitoring Tinkerbell Station.”
Get Involved!
Do you or anyone you know have repair skills, want to learn more about repair, or just want to help out in your community? Complete the online form at http://rmrs.mattseligman.com/repair-cafe-volunteer-information or email leanne@rmrs.mattseligman.com to volunteer as a Fixer, Apprentice, or Helper and become a Repair Café hero!
UPCOMING REPAIR CAFES:
Saturday, April 18, 2026 Time: 10am – 2pm
Part of Celebrate Earth Day Festival!
Location: Memorial Peace Park, Maple Ridge, BC
Special Guest – Tinkerbell!
Saturday, July 18, 2026 Time: 10am – 2pm
Co-hosted with the Ridge Meadows Seniors Society
Location: Maple Ridge Seniors Activity Centre, 12150 224th Street, Maple Ridge, BC
Saturday, September 19, 2026 Time: 10am – 2pm
Part of GETI Fest Event!
Location: Maple Ridge Bandstand, Memorial Peace Park
Saturday, November 21, 2026 Time: 10am – 2pm
**Our 60th Repair Café!!**LAST Repair Cafe of 2026!
Co-hosted with the Ridge Meadows Seniors Society
Location: Maple Ridge Seniors Activity Centre, 12150 224th Street, Maple Ridge, BC
If you would just like to learn more about Maple Ridge Repair Cafes, visit www.mrrepaircafe.ca, look up Maple Ridge Repair Cafés on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/mrrepaircafe), email leanne@rmrs.mattseligman.com or phone Leanne at 604-463-5545.
