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MLK Recreation Center experiences rat infestation

ATLANTA — The Martin Luther King Recreation Center on Boulevard has a rat problem.

"It's a situation. We have rats in the building," said Atlanta Commissioner of Parks and Recreation George Dusenbury of the center's infestation.

Dusenbury said they have been working with an exterminator to set traps in and around the MLK Center, and to plug holes to keep the rats and mice out.

He said 75 to 100 children play and eat a hot evening meal here every day, but this is not the first time the center has had to deal with rats.

"We had a similar situation this summer. We exterminated them from the building," said Dusenbury. "This is a joint use facility. We have APS (Atlanta Public Schools) on one side. They use the building until 3 p.m. We work with them to make sure they are clogging up any of the holes."

On the other side of the rec center is the city's oldest and abandoned natatorium.

"We've engaged an engineering firm to take this building down and we're concerned that some of the rats may be taking safe refuge there," said Dusenbury.

Dusenbury said they plan to aggressively work on the problem during winter break, and also expand the bait and trap program with the Atlanta Public Schools facility.

"We also are engaging the exterminators with both the APS and the recreation center. We will be clogging the holes," said Dusenbury.