Children at St. Luke’s Child Care Centre are now able to play in parts of the playground deemed safe after the discovery of a rat’s nest last week, says a spokesperson for the City of Ottawa.
The discovery of a rat’s nest in a garden near the daycare centre prompted caregivers to keep the children inside until an exterminator got rid of the rodents.
But rat traps set up in the daycare’s yard seem to be working.
The daycare, located at City Hall, cares for about 50 children, aged 18 months to five years, according to the City of Ottawa website.
The National Capital Commission received complaints about a rat infestation across from City Hall in Confederation Park last year. An exterminator was called in and laid poison bait to kill the vermin.
Successful, long-term rat control can be complicated since rat populations can number in the hundreds and connect through systems like underground burrows and through sewers, according to Critter Control Ottawa.