Repair Cafés are an international concept that has come to Ottawa with the goal of reducing landfill waste, teaching new skills, and building community!

Our past Repair Cafés have been very successful with volunteers fixing dozens of items and sharing their knowledge around everything from darning a sock to re-wiring a kettle. Join us on Saturday, September 21st at Makerspace North from 10am until 3pm (item registration ends at 2pm).  It is a great day to come out and learn more about the Ottawa Tool Library and our community!

Some things to know about Repair Café:

Please bring only one item to be fixed, as time and space are limited. You may register your item, on a first come, first served basis, to be fixed between 10am and 2pm (the last hour of the day is just for fixing). If your item is missing a piece or needs a replacement part, please bring that as well.

Everyone is welcome at this free event, there will be activities for the little ones, coffee and snacks, and lots of people to meet and chat with.

Accessibility information:

Bay 216 is all on one level, accessed from the West side of the building, up a driving ramp found at the south end of the City Centre parking lot.
The doors are manual.
The bathrooms are large in the sink/mirror area, but the stalls are narrow.

There will be be vapours in use from glue and other solvents.

FAQs

What are my transportation/parking options for getting to and from the event?

Driving and Parking: Take the ramp at the south side of 250 City Centre (left if facing the bakery), beginning near the Orange Art Gallery. There is some parking near Bay 216, but it’s best to plan for a drop off outside the doors or park at the front. There is parking in front (east) of the building, the first 90 minutes are free. Consult the sign.

Transit: OTL is one kilometre from the Bayview transit stop or about 500 metres from the #11 bus stop at Somerset & Preston. There are exterior stairs at the south of the building (closest to Somerset) or you can walk or wheel up the one of the driving ramps, either at the north or south sides of the building, but there’s no sidewalk – watch for exiting cars.

What can I bring to the event?

Please bring one item to be fixed to allow time for everyone to see a fixer and learn new skills. If you bring more than one item, the first item will be registered and once it's fixed, the second item will be registered, and so on. You can bring small appliances, jewellery, eye glasses, clothes, musical instruments, small furniture, computers, bikes, and more! Please bring any replacement parts you'll need to complete the fix, ie. buttons, switches, new power cords, and zippers.

Why do I need to register on Eventbrite when this is a free event?

We like knowing how many people are coming, so we can buy enough cookies, but also so we can prepare with enough volunteer fixers and helpers. Your registration helps us to plan and we really appreciate it.

What will happen when I arrive?

Registration of your broken and torn items is on a first come, first served basis between 10am and 2pm (the last hour of the day is just for fixing). When you arrive, a very nice team of people will welcome you, have you fill out a form with you name, email, postal code, and the item you've brought with you. We will also ask you to sign a waiver stating that you're ok with us taking your photo and that we won't get in trouble if you end up hurting yourself in the process of learning to fix your item. You'll then go have a great cup of coffee and a snack, maybe chat with some neighbors, and wait until we call your name to meet with a fixer. After your item has been fixed and you've learned some new skills, you'll bring your form over to the photo booth, have a cute picture taken with our FIXED! sign, and either be on your way, or hang out for a bit and see what's happening!

If you would like to volunteer to be a fixer or helper at this, or future, Repair Cafes, please get in touch with rachel@ottawatoollibrary.com.