Colin Macintosh has been a member of the Vancouver Tool Library (VTL) community for over nine years. An engineer by profession, Colin first joined as a member, looking for tools to support his home renovation projects. However, what began as a practical need quickly grew into a deeper commitment to building a community.
“I joined the tool library to spend a little bit of time in the community, try to meet some people as well as pick up some new skills,” Colin shared.
Since joining in 2016, Colin has leveraged the library’s resources to take on a wide range of creative endeavours, from crafting cutting boards as wedding gifts to making baby rattles for friends with children. He recalls attending early workshops on eco-friendly home renovation techniques and tool use, which fuelled his interest in woodworking.
Being a member of the library has also enabled him to dive into projects that would otherwise have been challenging due to space and equipment constraints. “I don’t have the space for a workshop where I could store a table saw. It’s really nice to be able to pop in and load up a car with some stuff,” he shares.
Over the years, Colin has taken on various roles within the VTL, including a four-year tenure on the board, where he served as president for one year. Now, as a volunteer who does a shift once a month, he enjoys assisting members and solving problems, tapping into his engineering background to help others bring their ideas to life.
While his involvement has scaled back as he balances other commitments—such as playing scrum half for the Vancouver Rogues—Colin remains deeply connected to the library and its mission. He appreciates how the VTL has grown to become a cornerstone of community building.
“It’s inspiring to see the stuff that people are making, like a canoe or a dining room table, or even if they just need a drill for a half hour because they need to fix something in their camper van,” he remarks. “It’s just interesting to see people of all walks of life come in with their own projects that we can help with.”
Looking ahead, Colin hopes for continued stability and growth for the VTL, including a growing sense of community, more tools, and expanded workshop offerings. He envisions the library as a thriving community hub where people can learn, create, and connect. “I’ve been here a long time, and it’s nice to see that the library has grown into this more valued space in the community.”
Colin’s baby rattle project.
Written by The Vancouver Tool Library, February 03rd, 2025 | No Comments »
Many of our volunteers will be taking time off in the coming weeks and The Vancouver Tool Library will be closing for the holiday break.
VTL will be closed Dec 22nd to Jan 3rd. The LAST DAY TO RENT TOOLS for the year is 3:00pm on Saturday, December 21st, 2024 VTL will re-open on Saturday January 4th, 2025.
To avoid late fees please make sure that tools borrowed before the break be returned by Saturday, December 21st.
No late fees charged between Dec 22nd and Jan 3rd. Late fees will apply outside of the mentioned closed dates.
Happy Holidays!
Written by The Vancouver Tool Library, December 10th, 2024 | No Comments »
Lukasz is a relatively recent Vancouver transplant who’s quickly become a part of our Vancouver Tool Library (VTL) community. A software engineer originally from Poland, he has been a part of the collective since March 2023.
“The first tool I used from the library was a rake, because I needed to remove some leaves,” Lukasz said. “I came to the library and it escalated to volunteering. Now I volunteer twice per month.”
Having volunteered during his university years in Poland, where he helped teach children with mathematics, Lukasz was drawn to the library due to its mission of making tools accessible to everyone and for the sense of community. In many ways, his experience in volunteering aligns closely with the goals of the library—providing people with the tools they need to accomplish whatever they want.
He also has a creative streak: using tools from the library, he created a lamp out of a Coca-Cola bottle, which now lights up his desk with its warm, soft touch.
Coca-Cola lamp bottle project by Lukasz
Lukasz’s interest in working with his hands extends beyond the VTL. He’s a member of a local wooden boat-building club, which, much like the VTL, allows him to dive into more hands-on projects that contrasts with his daily work in software. He’s also taken up motorcycling, which has led him to utilize VTL’s resources for maintenance on his bike.
Lukasz’s experience at the VTL has deepened his appreciation for the challenges and rewards of collective ownership. He recognizes the balance the library must strike between serving its members and maintaining its operations, from tool upkeep to organizing workshops. He hopes to see the library continue to expand its offerings, perhaps one day providing a dedicated space where members can work on their projects. Overall, the library aligns with Lukasz’s passion for building, whether that’s individual projects or our broader community.
“From a place that enables people to do something by giving them the tools, we’ve moved towards a place that creates communities and brings people together too.”
Written by The Vancouver Tool Library, October 06th, 2024 | No Comments »
Come by the VTL on Saturday for a Tool Sale. The co-op will be selling some tools that have been donated in the last year to clear up space in the library.
10-2 on Saturday.
Written by The Vancouver Tool Library, December 12th, 2023 | No Comments »
