AURORA | A few years ago, Ernie Clark’s Second Chance Bike Shop made what, at the time, felt like a major upgrade when they moved from a small, chilly garage to the sprawling basement of a dance studio.

That new spot — which was always planned as a temporary home — got Clark and his volunteers out of the cold and gave them plenty of room to work.

Clark’s labor of love began 10 years ago when he started helping a former firefighter who repaired bikes in a single-car garage for kids in need. That man stepped aside after a while and Clark took over, eventually creating a program that provided hundreds of bikes to needy area kids and offered local homeless men working bikes in exchange for volunteering their time. Since then, area homeless men are frequently at work making the bikes ready for kids anxious to get them.

Now they’re moving from the basement to, well, let Clark tell it: “This is like a penthouse for us,” Clark said with a big grin as he strolled around his new digs near East Alameda Avenue and South Sable Boulevard.

The new shop offers some serious amenities for Clark and his team of volunteers, including heat, ample space, a secure spot for the bikes, a restroom and a break room. Those might seem like basics, but they haven’t always been able to count on those sorts of perks.

But the day-to-day benefits of the new digs aren’t even its biggest perk. The best part of the new place for Clark? Stability.

Since last spring Clark — with the help of city officials, nonprofits and others who just wanted to see Clark keep cranking out bikes for needy children — has been scrambling to find a new home.

When he got word in late December that he was going to have a new home, Clark said he was relieved.

There were times last year, Clark said, when he wasn’t sure if Second Chance would go on. The bikes were spread between their old home in the basement of Kim Robards Dance Studio on East Colfax Avenue, a storage unit, and a hallway at Community College of Aurora.

At Christmas, Clark said he was only able to give out about 200 bikes to children who needed them. That’s a substantial donation, but it was somewhat disappointing for Clark, who has given away as many as 400 bikes in the past.

For the new home, Clark said the city was able to work out a deal with the property’s owners, Northstar Commercial Partners, so Second Chance can use the space rent-free and only has to cover the utilities.

Kyle Forti, a spokesman for Northstar, said the deal made perfect sense for them.

“Since we had the space we were more than happy,” he said.

The Denver-based development firm has closed some massive deals in recent months — including a group of properties in October with more than $224 million — so Forti said working with Clark is a bit different, it’s been nice.

Still, Forti said, Clark deserves the credit for everything Second Chance does.

“Ernie is doing all the work,” he said. “Ernie is out in the community actually helping kids.”

For more information or to help, call Clark at 720-270-5731.