REAL’s Tool Library is ready to move into its next phase – lending out garden tools.

REAL opened a tool library in a corner of the REAL Deal Reuse Store last fall.  A membership fee of $25 for six months or $45 for a year, allows members to borrow anything from the collection of 100 tools for a week at a time.   The majority of the tools are handheld battery or electric, but we have a wide variety of tools useful for home handyperson projects.   To date our most popular rentals have been a palm sander, a table saw and a tile cutter.

REAL volunteers have been tracking area residents’ requests to see if there are other tools they would appreciate borrowing.  We evaluate those requests for practicality, cost, ease of transport, storage requirements and maintenance needs. With the garden season at hand, we would like to add some garden tools to our inventory.   REAL is  asking the public for help in finding them, and would like to see what we could acquire via donation.  If you have any of these items in your garage and/or basement and are not using them anymore, perhaps you would be interested in contributing them to a local environmental organization tool library where you know they will be used.

Right now REAL would be interested in acquiring:  hedge clippers, a mini rototiller,  a pole pruner, a power washer, an electric lawn dethatcher, a spreader, and a cultivator.  We are aiming for electric or battery operated rather than gas powered appliances.   Please contact Bill or Nancy Hamilton at (613) 340-0038 if you have those items to donate.  They will arrange a time to come take a look and if it is suitable, pick it up.  They will also discuss if, in the event that we receive multiples, you are comfortable with it being sold in the REAL Deal store.   Also on our ongoing wish list is a wooden or metal shed to increase REAL’s overall storage capacity. 

The REAL Tool Library at the REAL Deal Store is open Wednesday through Saturday.   While we would appreciate tool rental and returns take place 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., we will endeavour to help you anytime during store hours,  10 a.m. to 5 p.m.   When purchasing a membership, please bring some identification such as a drivers licence.  See the Tool Library page on this website for more details.   Or drop by the store and someone will be happy to show you what we have available.