Volunteer Profile: Colin

Interview by Alec Regino

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.”