The Peterborough Tool Library will be moving from its current home at the Endeavour Centre to the Peterborough North Habitat ReStore, effective March 1.
Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region is taking over management of the tool library — which allows members to borrow from hundreds of tools for an annual fee — from the Endeavour Centre, which needed to reorganize after two years of navigating the pandemic and find a new home for the tool library so it could continue to grow and expand.
A non-profit organization that builds and renovates affordable homes for low-income working families and individuals, Habitat has long been involved in the circular economy and the reduce, reuse, and recycle movement through their Habitat ReStores.
The non-profit home improvement and building supply stores accept and resell quality new and gently used building materials, furniture, appliances, home décor items, and clothing and accessories, with proceeds from sales funding Habitat home-building projects in Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
“We are really excited to see the tool library move under the Habitat umbrella,” says Jen Feigin, director of operations at the Endeavour Centre and a founding member of the tool library, in a media release. “We couldn’t think of a more suitable organization to run the library and continue the mission of growing the sharing economy while providing affordable access to tools. There could really not be a better fit.”
Currently located at the Endeavour Centre at 910 High Street in Peterborough, the tool library was founded in May 2006 by a group of volunteers and has been housed and run by the Endeavour Centre ever since. The tool library will be temporarily closing at its High Street location as of Sunday, February 6th and will reopen at its new location at the Peterborough North Habitat ReStore at 300 Milroy Drive on Tuesday, March 1st, with new expanded hours at the new location to be announced in February.
“Habitat ReStores provide an answer for those looking to donate or those looking to purchase household goods that are eco-friendly and affordable, and now they can also provide shared and affordable access to tools,” says Christina Skuce, director of operations for Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region.
“Moving the tool library to the Habitat ReStore is a great fit and will further help to support our mission to empower through local affordable homeownership,” she adds. “And we are excited to be able to offer expanded hours to access the library.”
The relocation of the Peterborough Tool Library to the Habitat ReStore will give Peterborough residents one-stop access to both affordable home-building materials and tools for their home renovation projects, while supporting the work of Habitat for Humanity.
“The community will now be able to go shop for their gently used building materials, furniture, appliances, and home décor items, and borrow the tools they need while they are at it,” says Nikki-Ann Murray, volunteer coordinator with the Peterborough Tool Library. “Both shopping second hand and participating in a community tool library is a great way to lower your carbon footprint.”
For more information about the Habitat ReStore, visit www.habitatpkr.ca/restores.
For more information on the Peteborough Tool Library, including membership options and its inventory of 600 tools and home improvement books, visit www.ptbotoollibrary.ca.
