Village Bicycle Project expands global impact with Park City Bike Drive

“In a place like Park City, a 20-year-old bike might be collecting dust in a garage,” said May. “But to a student in rural Sierra Leone, it can mean the difference between attending school or not.” Photo: Village Bicycle Project.

PARK CITY, Utah — The Village Bicycle Project is asking Park City residents to donate used bicycles in an effort that combines local generosity with global impact. The annual Park City Bike Drive, set for May 3 at the Walmart parking lot near Staples, supports the nonprofit’s mission to improve access to education and work through bicycle mobility in Sierra Leone and Ghana.

Founded in the U.S., Village Bicycle Project (VBP) operates uniquely among similar nonprofits by managing in-country infrastructure in West Africa. With full-time staff in Ghana and Sierra Leone, the organization ensures bikes are not just delivered but effectively integrated into communities through training programs and maintenance education.

“Unlike many bike donation groups that simply ship bikes abroad, we have a network on the ground,” said Jamie May, a VBP board member and the local organizer of the Park City drive. “Our teams distribute the bikes, teach basic maintenance, and even train people to become bike mechanics.”

The Park City drive typically brings in around 100 bikes annually, just enough to help fill one of the 20 to 25 shipping containers VBP sends yearly. Each container holds approximately 450 bikes and is shipped from Salt Lake City to either Accra, Ghana or Freetown, Sierra Leone. Many of the bikes collected in Park City are well-used but high-quality mountain bikes — ideal for rural Africa’s rough terrain and long distances.

“In a place like Park City, a 20-year-old bike might be collecting dust in a garage,” said May. “But to a student in rural Sierra Leone, it can mean the difference between attending school or not.”

This year’s drive holds particular importance as it supports a new partnership between Village Bicycle Project and the Seattle-based nonprofit Schools for Salone. The collaboration aims to provide 5,000 bikes to students attending rural schools across Sierra Leone. The initiative is designed to reduce long walking commutes and increase school attendance.

Through this partnership, VBP has already delivered 1,000 bikes, with another 500 scheduled for distribution later this year.

The program emphasizes ownership and responsibility. Most bikes are sold at highly subsidized prices — typically between $10 and $25 — to encourage long-term care and usage. This strategy, according to May, fosters a sustainable bike culture and leads to broader community benefits, including job creation through bike repair and maintenance training.

“When we distribute bikes, it’s a major community event,” May said. “There are demonstrations, classes, and celebrations. It’s about more than transportation — it’s about empowerment.”

As Park City continues to strengthen its reputation as a bike-centric and globally-minded community, May hopes residents will see the May 3 drive as an opportunity to make a real difference with something as simple as an old bike.

“There are thousands of bikes in garages across this town that are too nice to throw away but not worth selling,” he said. “This is the perfect way to give them a second life — one that could change someone else’s.”

For more information on the Park City Bike Drive and how to donate, visit www.villagebicycleproject.org.