THE PIED PIPER OF HAMILTON

Geeze, Setanta. I thought this was going to be about Robert Browning.

Just my way of marking, Irish.

I don't know that the thread is worth marking, Miss Letty. However, i thought the news story interesting because of the sudden explosion of a rat population. Hamilton is an industrial town on the western shore of Lake Ontario, between the lake and the Niagara escarpment. The neighborhood, i believe, is on the shoulders of the escarpment (which rises to mroe 170 feet above the level of lake, in a dramatic slope--it is "cliff-like" near the top). I suspect, but of course don't know, that some one person in the neighborhood was careless with garbage, attracted a few rats, and then, nothing being done, the rat population exploded. The Canadians are a clean people, and it is unusual to think of a sudden infestation of rats in any large Canadian city.

It is odd, Setanta. I read recently (forgotten where) that the vermin had taken over another place. Need to check that out. The fleas that infest rats are probably more dangerous than the rats themselves. Hope that is ancient history.

Your thread is important to me, because I have noticed that here, I have a new bug attack, and am wondering if it has to do with the shift in weather.

Letty, you may be thinking of the infestation in New York last spring.

Rat invasion angers nabe



BY DENISE ROMANO and MELISSA GRACE
DAILY NEWS WRITERS


Dead rat on sidewalk outside construction site on Luquer St. in Carroll Gardens yesterday. Residents have complained about pesky rodents for months.

A Carroll Gardens block has been taken over by rats, and the city Health Department has done little to combat the menacing pests, residents say.
Since a demolition project began on a Luquer St. lot last fall, rats have made the street their home, scurrying around in broad daylight, diving into garbage cans and nesting in car engines.

"They sit there and look at you; they are not afraid," said Lisa Demaio, 29.

To get inside her building, the mother of two young girls said she's forced to throw bottles "to scatter the rats."

Yesterday, a rodent lay dead next to three overturned traps in front of the lot.

"That rat has been there for 36 hours," said Alison Carrabba, 37, who lives on the block between Hamilton Ave. and Clinton St. "This is a serious health and safety issue, and there has been little to no response - until today."

Neighbors said they called the city's 311 complaint line repeatedly over the past several months, but that Health Department officials showed up only this week - after the Daily News called to inquire about the response.

"Everybody in my building has called," said Alison Carrabba, 37, who lives in a six-unit building.

Health Department officials insist there have been 20 rat inspections in response to complaints on Luquer St.

"In that time, we have aggressively exterminated catch basins and other properties in the area," a spokesman said.

An inspector was sent out again Wednesday because of a recent complaint. Property owners for four buildings were issued letters informing them there was evidence of droppings and rat burrowing.

Residents believe the rats were stirred up by the demolition work at 100 Luquer St., where an 11-story condominium tower is set to rise.

An owner of the lot agreed - but said there is little he can do.

"Rats are not something we can control," said Moses Gross, a partner on the construction project.

Gross said his office has hired an exterminator, who is set to begin work next week after receiving repeated calls from neighbors.

"I don't think it will help," he said. "Every time you do a demolition, they come out."


source


The problem in Hamilton, Ontario is limited to the area of about 50 homes in a couple block section. Considerable sewer work has been going on in the area and it thought that this has caused the current problem. Plans are under way to erradicate the rats.

I hadn't heard about the sewer work--i did hear a story about this on CBC yesterday, but i wasn't paying breathless, devoted attention, and may have missed that part. In the CBC story, they interviewed Mr. Whitehead.

The sewer work is being carried out as a result of the constant flooding in heavy downpours. Mr. Whitehead is also championing this situation.

In Texas, we get invasions of scorpions when there's construction going on nearby.

All things considered, I'd probably prefer the rats.

Is that Reyn in drag??