Community discussion: Igor Kenk and Bike theft

During Bike Month, Pop Sandbox and I Bike T.O. present a moderated forum, June 3, 8-10 pm at CineCycle, on bicycle theft and Igor Kenk in Toronto, tied-in with the release of KENK: A Graphic Portrait in May.

The discussion will almost certainly be focused on Igor Kenk, one of the more interesting characters in Toronto. Buyer of stolen bikes, hoarder, scrappy immigrant from socialist East Europe, critic of consumer society: Kenk was all of this and more. We must note, however,that bike theft didn't start and end with Kenk. New folks arrive to fill the gap left.

Admission is $5 with money going towards the Toronto Cyclists Union and CineCycle. Full information about the event will be posted on I BIke T.O.

Confirmed panelists include:

• Richard Goddard, Moderator (CBC)
• Richard Poplak (Writer, KENK: A Graphic Portrait)
• Yvonne Bambrick (Toronto Cyclists Union)
• Eric Kamphof (Curbside Cycle)
• Herb van den Dool (IBikeTO.ca)
• Additional Panelist TBA

CineCycle, located at behind the 401 Richmond building, is a great space for watching cycling and classic films.

Update: In a curious development, Kenk, who has been released from jail, showed up at the Cabbagetown Youth Centre to offer his services in rebuilding some of the bikes. Approximately 2000 of the bikes were donated to the youth centre to be given to at-risk youth. Kenk claims he's the only one who can piece together all the bikes: “The bikes will not be fit and there’s nothing to make them fit. They’re dreaming,” he said. “These 2,000 bikes are going to be thrown out to poor kids, unsafe, and it’s not going to be good at all.” There's a grain of truth in that: the youth centre will have their work cut out for them to organize the building of these bikes into functional, safe machines.