Pair of raccoons move into Pimisi LRT station, start renovating
Laura Osman | CBC News | Posted: September 20, 2019 4:57 PM | Last Updated: September 20, 2019
'Love birds' spotted ripping out insulation from roof
City officials keep telling the public they want people to live close to the new Confederation Line, and it appears a pair of raccoons have taken that message to heart.
Twitter user Philip Wouda discovered the "love birds" making themselves at home in the ceiling of the new Pimisi station Thursday night, and they already seem to be renovating.
Wouda said he was taking his first-ever trip on the LRT line and had mistakenly gotten off at Pimisi when he spotted the raccoons climbing a grate to the station's ceiling.
He got on the elevator to get a better look at what the critters were up to and saw tufts of insulation had been pulled out.
'Fix this one quick'
"There was a good amount of insulation out of there," Wouda told CBC News. "A good couple of raccoons' worth."
He let officials know right away.
"Better fix this one quick before they destroy all the good work!" Wouda tweeted at Mayor Jim Watson and former transit committee chair Coun. Stephen Blais.
It appears the raccoons' stay may be brief, though, as OC Transpo has already said its staff will respond to the "unwanted guests."
The city has informed Rideau Transit Group, the conglomerate responsible for building and maintaining the line, about the raccoons, said Troy Charter, the city's director of transit operations.
Preventative measures are being explored, Charter said.