Always wanted to take up woodworking but can’t justify the expense of buying a table saw? Or maybe you’re looking to start skiing again but don’t want to buy your skis?
That’s where the New West Thingery comes in.
It is a lending library of sorts that allows members to borrow a variety of items, including sports equipment, power tools, household appliances, kids’ toys and much more.
Founded by Chris Diplock, one of the co-founders of the Vancouver tool library, the goal of the New West Thingery is to remove the barriers that stop a lot of people from pursuing certain – often expensive – hobbies.
“The Thingery kind of grew out of the tool library movement,” he told the Record. “The Thingery expands on that in that you can basically borrow or lend any type of equipment, including things like recreation equipment.”
The idea is to stock the New West Thingery with donations from people in the community, which would allow people to clear out their homes of items they don’t use often enough, Diplock added.
Let’s say you wanted to power wash your house, but you’re not going to do it every day, so why buy one only to have it sit in your garage, Diplock explained. Instead, by joining the Thingery, you could have access to a power washer when you needed it without forking over a fortune.
There is, however, a cost to being a member of the Thingery community. People will need to buy a membership, which includes a $50 lifetime membership fee and a subsequent annual fee of $29. Memberships are available to anyone 18 years or older.
There will also be a borrowing fee.
“A lot of the equipment that we’ll be lending out has a high upfront cost and ongoing maintenance and upkeep that’s required,” Diplock said.
While he expects the bulk of the items will be donated, Diplock said there will likely be some items on the Thingery’s wish list that Diplock will have to purchase. The membership fees will cover these anticipated costs and will help pay for any repairs or maintenance the items might need over time.
But, on the other hand, some items won’t cost anything to borrow, he added.
On Saturday, Dec. 2, Diplock is inviting the community to stop by the New West Thingery, located outside River Market at 810 Quayside Dr., between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for the free soft launch party. Folks will be able to learn more about the Thingery, donate items to its inventory and sign up for a membership. (People who sign up at the launch will get an extra month included in their membership.) There will also be refreshments and food.
To register for the soft launch party, go to www.eventbrite.ca and search New West Thingery, and to see what items are on the New West Thingery wish list, check out thethingery.com/locations/nw.
