The Swap, Share, Repair Fair at the Cornwall Civic Complex offered hands-on learning and interactive workshops to promote sustainability. Hosted by Transition Cornwall+ and the City of Cornwall, the free event featured swap and thrift stations, cooking and repair demonstrations, and a special food waste workshop led by Earth Day Canada.
Kat Rendek, an organizer with Transition Cornwall+, emphasized the importance of community involvement. “This is a first-time event as a partnership between Transition Cornwall+ and the City of Cornwall, and we’re really excited about that. The city has a lot of goals around their climate action plan, and this is just one way of getting residents engaged and learning new things.”
Attendees explored various learning stations, including bike repairs with Terry Gibbs, who encouraged self-sufficiency. “Whenever you do something for yourself, you feel more self-reliant, and that gives you agency,” he said. “A lot of people think bike repairs are complicated, but with resources like YouTube and local shops, it’s easier than they think.”
Pat Lucey, a volunteer with the Cornwall Food Action Group, demonstrated how to make soup from scratch while highlighting the benefits of local and organic produce. “Supporting Canadian agriculture means fresher ingredients and a lower environmental impact.” She also explained the pros of using frozen vegetables. “Frozen produce, for example, can sometimes retain more vitamins than fresh produce that has been stored and transported long distances,” she explained.
Isabel Strachan of Earth Day Canada led a food waste workshop focused on practical strategies for reducing waste at home. “We look at everything from making grocery lists to storing food better. One of the biggest challenges people face is getting everyone in the household on board, so we encourage discussions where participants can share what works for them,” she said.
Sewing and clothing repairs were also highlighted as an essential sustainability practice. Tish Gibbs, a volunteer leading a sewing workshop, emphasized the impact of repairing rather than discarding clothing. “There’s a huge amount of clothing being thrown into landfills simply because people don’t know what to do with it. This workshop helps people gain confidence in repairing their favorite items, extending their lifespan rather than replacing them.” She noted that even young children took part. “Some kids came in with their favourite stuffed animals and learned how to sew them back together themselves. They walked away with big smiles because their teddy was restored.”
The event also shed light on Cornwall’s waste diversion efforts. Stephen Romano, Manager of Environmental Services for the city, shared positive news about the green bin program, which has been in place for over a month. “We’re seeing about 50% participation, and in just the first month, over 170 tonnes of organics have been diverted from the landfill,” he said. “We expect those numbers to increase when clear bag enforcement for garbage officially begins on April 1.”
The event also drew young participants, including Daniela, a Grade 11 student from St. Joseph’s Secondary School and a member of the Youth Climate Action Working Group. “I started volunteering to earn hours, but I was really surprised by how many action groups exist in Cornwall. It’s important to take care of the city we’re eventually going to inherit,” she said.
