By Danielle Kaye

In recent sustainability efforts at UK, Wildcat Wheels set up its first Do-It-Yourself Bike Repair Station.

The DIY Bike Repair Station was installed two weeks ago on North campus to provide the tools necessary for students to repair common problems on their bikes.

The station provides instructions on how to patch a flat tire and provides the patches to students, according to the Sustainability website.

Wildcat Wheels is a “nationally recognized educational resource that provides free bicycle use and repair assistance to students, faculty and staff,” according to the Wildcat Wheels website.

Corbin Little, Wildcat Wheels assistant manager, said the program is funded by the Student Sustainability Council.

Wildcat Wheels has made numerous efforts to provide energy-efficient means of transportation to UK students. The program has a bike library consisting of 75 bikes

that students can rent through an application process, Little said.

Wildcat Wheels also allows students to come in and volunteer around the shop. Once students have racked up some hours they can use the credits they have earned to

work on their own bikes, said Sara Ailshire, an employee at Wildcat Wheels.

Ailshire said she believes the stations will initially serve students who ride bikes and want to maintain and repair them.

“Long term, however, I feel that the stations send a message to all UK students— that UK cares about sustainability, cares about bicycling as a mode of

transportation, and that it has made both of these things a priority heading towards the future,” she said.

The installation of the first DIY Bike Repair Station is just a small step in the furthering of the sustainability program on campus via cycling.

Wildcat Wheels is planning on installing four Repair Stations throughout campus, as well as offering classes to help students learn how to ride their bicycle safely, Ailshire said.

The ultimate goal is that sustainability becomes part of UK’s culture.