By Joe Maniscalco
Last year, Carroll Park’s surging rat population forced dedicated gardener Sara Weber to drop her spade and run for cover, but this year she’s looking forward to returning to her old duties. “The Parks Department did a huge amount of work,” she said, describing the city’s rat-busting efforts. “They really did a thorough extermination.” With nary a rodent seen since the Friends of Carroll Park’s “Rat Day” event last summer succeeded in focusing a much needed spotlight on Carroll Park’s vermin problem, supporters of the popular neighborhood green spot at Court and Smith streets are confident that progress has been made. “Last year we did see tracks in the snow, but we’re not seeing that this year,” said Weber. To keep an upper hand on the situation, the Friends of Carroll Park are welcoming the expected delivery of 18 or more solid metal barrels from the Parks Department which will replace the open wire mesh receptacles presently located throughout the park. Together with sturdy domed lids which the Friends of Carroll Park plan on purchasing separately, it’s hoped that the new barrels will keep deposited trash out of the reach of opportunistic rats. The new receptacles won’t be particularly attractive, however, so the Friends of Carroll Park have invited neighborhood artists with a “sense of whimsy” to try their hand at beautifying them. “Now that we’ve really reduced the rat population all together we want the park to stay clean,” said Weber, “and this is our way of making it fun.” About six volunteers have already stepped forward to lend their original designs to the new trash receptacles. The Friends of Carroll Park would like to get one volunteer for every new barrel that they set out around the park. The designs are expected to last for more than one season and should be in keeping with the family atmosphere of the park. While they’re still waiting for the new trash receptacles, the Friends of Carroll Park expect to unveil the newly designed – and hopefully rat-proof cans on May 13 during “It’s My Park Day” celebrations. But park activists like Weber aren’t waiting around for Old Many Winter to clear out. Just two weeks ago, volunteers began planting new shrubs generously donated by the folks over at Mazzone Hardware. Once the warm weather rolls around, they plan on replacing many of the flower beds that were destroyed during last summer’s heat wave. Weber and company will also take up planting the daffodils meant to honor the victims of the September 11 attacks. That annual ritual was rudely interrupted last season when brazen rats ran rampant through flower beds and even chewed through irrigation hoses. The Friends of Carroll Park led a grassroots campaign effort last year to not only put pressure on the city to step up its baiting schedule, they also helped raise community awareness by encouraging visitors to the park to be clean and conscientious. Carroll Park is the borough’s third-oldest park. It was named after Revolutionary War leader and signatory of the Declaration of Independence Charles Carroll. “We wanted to find an intelligent solution to our problem and this is it,” said Weber. Local artists interested in donating their time and talents to the Friends of Carroll Park should contact the group at FriendsofCarrollPark@yahoo.com.
