Growing up with the Hornby free store
Now that I have a child of my own, I look back at the things that formed my childhood and the values that my parents instilled in me when I was growing up on Hornby Island, like recycling and reusing. Of course, many things are different now, but one thing that remains the same is the island’s Free Store.
That’s not entirely true—it was renovated over the years, and moved into a new structure in 2015—but the culture, the dedicated volunteers, the staff, and the mission all remain the same. And nowadays I’m happy my daughter loves the Free Store as much as I do!
How the Hornby Island free store began
Since 1978, the Hornby Island Free Store, located at the dump and recycling centre, has been the epicentre of the island—and a key asset in Hornby residents’ mission to reduce waste. The Free Store was born when the recycling centre’s first coordinator, Kathi Linnman, set up a shed near the dump to rescue and house still-useful items for clever and thrifty Hornby residents to access.
Treasures and quirky finds
Here, locals (and visitors) can find household essentials, clothing, and random parts: a fridge shelf, a bike wheel, a car mat, new shoes. I often come away feeling lucky and very pleased with quirky and useful finds. Sometimes, unfortunately, you learn why a pair of shoes was donated, like when a friend of mine twisted her ankle multiple times the first time she took her awesome “new” sandals for a spin.
When the store is open, it’s always bustling with community members catching up with each other.
The team of dedicated, friendly volunteers organize and display products in the Free Store as they would in any thrift store, with the expectation that donations have no stains and aren’t damaged beyond repair. The store is neatly separated into departments such as bikes, old cars, appliances, clothing, books, toys, shoes, bedding, and fabric for sewing. When I was younger, the women’s clothing section always felt elevated, as it was locked off when the store was closed (if you know, you know).
Community culture and atmosphere
When I was asked to write this article, I struggled to come up with the words to describe the culture that surrounds the Free Store. It isn’t just the unique scent and products that make the place special, it’s the people. Because the centre is open limited hours, it’s always bustling with many community members catching up with each other. The energy of the vibrant employees in the neighbouring recycling centre adds to the Free Store’s lively atmosphere. (Any trip is accompanied by the sound of smashing glass in the distance as bottles and jars are thrown and sorted.)
Building bikes from free store parts
When we were young, my brother and I loved to bike, and if we needed to fix up our bikes, our first stop would be the Free Store, where we’d climb through the pile of bike parts, celebrating with our dad when we found the item we were looking for. My brother cycled the Okanagan’s Kettle Valley Trail on a bike that was built completely from the Free Store.
My trash may be another’s treasure—a lesson I learned as a kid at the Free Store and now pass on to my daughter.
When a friend of mine came home from a “town trip” with a brand-new red bike, I promptly went home to ask my parents for a red bike. I was really hoping for a shiny new bike (my current bike was fuchsia pink and put together with parts from the Free Store). To my absolute surprise, my dad agreed to a red bike. That’s when the can of red spray paint came home.
Values worth passing on
When I was a kid, I absorbed some of the core fundamentals of recycling at the Free Store. And I still think about the large sign hanging over the garbage bins on Hornby that reads: “Absolute Garbage Only.” It reminds me of some of the values my parents taught me, and that I’m now passing on to my daughter: understanding “my trash may be another’s treasure,” buying quality items, and being happy with what we have.
