Citizen gives city worker award
Peggy Moth lauded for establishing program to recycle discarded bicycles
Robin Grant
Northern News Services
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
For years, Old Town Bikeworks founder Matthew Grogono has watched unclaimed bicycles pile up in the city's landfill.
City worker Peggy Moth accepts Old Town Bikeworks founder Matthew Grogono's 2016 Extra Special Award of Merit for helping establish the City of Yellowknife Bicycle Recycling Program. - Robin Grant/NNSL photo
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With no official plan to re-use what Grogono said are good bikes and parts, he has worried about the amount of waste being created.
Then last summer he met Peggy Moth, a Sustainability and Solid Waste employee who shared his concerns. Together they came up with the idea to establish the City of Yellowknife Bicycle Recycling Program.
During the Rotary Club of Yellowknife's annual bike auction on May 29, Grogono presented Moth with an award he established to recognize her initiative.
"This is a special, original, one of a kind award. It's a 2016 Extra Special Award of Merit given to Peggy Moth for going above and beyond the call of duty. For going boldly where no one has gone before in helping establish a City of Yellowknife bicycle recycling program," he said.
Grogono created the award from a recycled champagne bottle inscribed with her name. He said by recognizing Moth's leadership, he wants to encourage people to appreciate bikes.
"I really believe that, as a community, we have to embrace bicycles more and find out ways of getting more integrity and respect for bicycles," he explained. "Bicycles have done a lot for us as a community. And in the future we have to, I believe, get more involved in bicycles ... We need to find ways of being more efficient in transporting ourselves without using hydrocarbons."
He added, "I saw this opportunity to recognize a city employee for going above and beyond the call of duty - specifically with bicycles. And it seemed like a natural fit for everyone. The Rotary Club agreed to support the project, and here we are."
After accepting the award, Moth spoke about the program's success.
"It's almost a destination for people now," she said. "They come to the landfill site and say, 'Oh, I know where the bike area is.' And head directly for it - whether it's to get another bike, to bring bikes in, or come in for parts. Myself working at the gate, I've continued to promote it and every time I see a bike on a vehicle that someone is bringing in, or they are looking for bikes, I tell them about the bike area."
"Matthew deserves all the credit," she added. "It's a tremendous idea and hugely successful. I'm happy to be a little part of it."
Mike Auge, manager of sustainability and solid waste for the City of Yellowknife, said he is supportive and happy that Grogono took the time to recognize Moth.
"It's a great way to divert waste from our landfill and have useful products that people can use," he said.
