Chicago’s North Side neighborhood of Roscoe Village waved goodbye to the quirky sidewalk anomaly known as the “rat hole,” which was removed by city crews on Wednesday morning. The rat-shaped indentation that became a viral sensation — and even a peculiar local attraction — was excavated from the 1900 block of West Roscoe Street, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Workers promptly replaced the famed slab with fresh concrete before the day reached its peak.
Despite its popularity, the landmark's removal came after Ald. Scott Waguespack received numerous complaints regarding the impromptu gatherings it spurred. Paul Sajovec, the Alderman's chief of staff detailed these concerns, hinting at the odd hours and the variety of items left behind by visitors, The Guardian reports. Erica Schroeder, speaking for the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), explained that the sideway section is in temporary storage and its future location will be a "collaborative decision between the city departments and the mayor’s office."
Some residents expressed sentimentality over the removal. Isaac Cutrara, a local who watched the event unfold from his home office, told the Chicago Sun-Times, “It’s been a fun era in Roscoe Village and sad to see it come to a close.” Others, such as John Wilkinson, were more indifferent, suggesting that now is the time to "Just smooth it over. Let something else happen organically, and see what happens."
While some neighbors are relieved at the resulting peace, the spectacle of the rat hole had ingrained itself into the culture and history of the area, drawing in crowds and even being the site where a couple exchanged their wedding vows. The silhouette on the sidewalk with its uncanny resemblance to a rodent, had been around for at least 20 years, with locals divided over whether it depicted a rat or a squirrel, as 57-year-old Nick Jones claimed, “You could see where the branch was immediately above where the squirrel fell. Just the shape and the tail and everything,” he told Chicago Sun-Times.
The comedy of the situation hasn't entirely evaporated with the removal of the rat hole, as some residents mused about recreating the depression in the fresh concrete. Jones joked about leaving a new mark, “So it’s there again for posterity,” reflecting on the glacial pace of city interventions that allowed the rat hole to become iconic in the first place. The loss of the rat hole has struck a chord, one like the whimsy that it inspired, but as with the pour of new concrete, the neighborhood adapts and readies itself for the new absurdities that life might imprint upon it.
