Community Spotlight

Retired Couple Opens Free Tool Library in Halifax

What began as a garage project is now helping neighbours borrow drills, saws, and more—no strings attached.

Published April 16, 2025 | By Marcel Deschamps

A retired couple in Halifax has turned their garage into a community resource centre, offering tools to borrow for everything from minor repairs to weekend DIY projects.

Dennis and Marie O’Connell launched the initiative last summer, using their own collection of tools and donations from neighbours and local businesses.

The couple were inspired by their experiences living in co-operative housing in the 1970s, where shared resources and community support were part of daily life.

Today, their garage shelves are lined with hammers, drills, extension cords, and even a pressure washer—all available free of charge with a simple sign-out sheet.

Since launching, over 300 residents from their North End neighbourhood have made use of the service, and several have pitched in to help with repairs and inventory upkeep.

The O’Connells maintain a strict safety policy, offering printed guides and how-to videos with each loan. 'We’re not just lending tools,' Dennis said, 'we’re lending confidence.'

City council recently recognized the project with a community innovation award and is exploring ways to support similar programs across Halifax.

Other neighbourhoods have reached out for advice on how to replicate the model, with a second tool library now planned in Dartmouth.

Marie says the initiative has strengthened bonds on their street. 'We see people chatting on sidewalks who didn’t know each other before. That’s the real reward.'

Tool users have left dozens of thank-you notes, and one artist even donated a mural to decorate the outside of the O’Connells’ garage, which now reads: 'Fix it. Share it. Build it together.'