Kimberley’s star mechanic

Kimberley, B.C., offers the perfect lifestyle for this business and family man

1 of 4Pat Mohnssen owns and operates Meadowbrook Motors in Kimberley, B.C. — Marie Milner photo

2 of 4Meadowbrook Motors in Kimberley, B.C., is owned by the Mohnssen family. — Marie Milner photo

3 of 4Pat Mohnssen, owner of Meadowbrook Motors in Kimberley, sells Gas Gas trials bikes. — Marie Milner photo

4 of 4Pat Mohnssen, owner of Meadowbrook Motors in Kimberley, sells Gas Gas trials bikes. — Marie Milner photo

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Pat Mohnssen opened Meadowbrook Motors in Kimberley, B.C., in 2012, and quickly established himself as a reliable and reputable auto mechanic and businessman. In November 2013 he was named  Contractor/Tradesperson of the Year by the Kimberley & District Chamber of Commerce at its business excellence awards celebration.

A lifelong resident of Kimberley, Mohnssen did his pre-apprenticeship in auto mechanics at College of the Rockies in Cranbrook, B.C. He has lived in the West Kootenay and elsewhere in B.C. as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands and England, but chose to settle in Kimberley after he finished his apprenticeship at Chalet GM.

Mohnssen puts a high value on the lifestyle available in his hometown—and it’s not just about recreation, though he is a long-time Enduro enthusiast and also does trials-style riding. He and his wife, Takara, appreciate living close to nature and having freedom from heavy traffic and long commutes, and they appreciate the low cost of living in Kimberley.

“I go home at 5:30 and I don’t work on weekends,” Mohnssen said. “Family time with our three kids is really important.”

In the world of auto mechanics, Mohnssen is proving himself to be honest and fair—there’s no pushing for unnecessary repairs at Meadowbrook Motors. Mohnssen values his relationships in the community and he runs an open shop where the customers can talk to the mechanics.

For fun, Mohnssen does some off-road Enduro riding and a bit of local racing. He’s ridden dirt bikes since he was five years old and he’s already introduced his sons to the sport.

“Since I started selling Gas Gas bikes, I got into trials riding, which requires a lot less space (than Enduro),” Mohnssen said. “They are a lot less noisy than Enduro bikes, but they need an obstacle course.”

Right across the street from Meadowbrook Motors, there is an area of large rocks, several downed tree trunks and a few concrete slabs. If it’s a quiet moment in the shop, you might find Mohnssen there, maneuvering his Gas Gas trials bike through the obstacle circuit.