Evanston city officials are planning a “rodent walk” on 11 city blocks next Friday as they continue efforts to reduce rat problems in the city.
In a report prepared for Monday’s Human Services Committee meeting, Public Health Manager Ike Ogbo says residents have filed 123 rodent complaints so far this year. While not directly comparable, last year, through the first five months of the year, the city had received 208 rodent complaints.
Rat complaints hit a recent full-year peak in 2015 of 1,280, Ogbo says, and had been cut almost in half, to 747, by last year.
The 11 blocks target for the rodent walk this year were selected based on the high volume of rodent treatment requests. They are:
- 100 Block of Asbury Avenue
- 800 Block of Brummel Street
- 900 Block of Chicago Avenue
- 1200 Block of Chicago Avenue
- 800 Block of Dobson Street
- 1300 Block of Grant Street
- 1900 Block of Jackson avenue
- 1600 Block of Lincoln Street
- 500 Block of Michigan Avenue
- 700 Block of Mulford Street
- 1700 Block of Sherman Avenue
Ogbo says the walk is designed to educate residents about rodent control and to enforce health and property maintenance codes on properties that are encouraging rat activity.
Chipmunks and squirrels
Chipmunks and squirrels are also rodents, but nicer ones.