The barnyard at Farrel-McWhirter Farm Park is currently closed for pest control, maintenance and repair, but the popular barnyard animals can still be viewed by residents.

“We have experienced a spike in our rodent population from the surrounding woods and this activity has impacted some of the barnyard areas,” said Greg Byszeski, Redmond’s deputy director of parks and recreation, in a Thursday press release. “Rodent removal and repair services are underway.”

Byszeski said the pest control-repair project could take as long as a month.

Until work is completed the barnyard will be closed. The farm animals have been relocated to other paddock areas within the park, so residents can still come to the park and view the animals, “just not in the barn,” Byszeski pointed out. All of the activities that are scheduled to take place in the barnyard will be moved to other areas within the park, said Byszeski, who added that all programs and activities are still on the schedule.

Currently the farm yard is fenced off and signage is posted to redirect the public to the new animal viewing areas. All other areas of the park remain open as normal.

“Our goal is to keep our popular farm animals accessible to the public for viewing and programs,” said farm coordinator Pam McMahon in the press release. “While some of our classes will be rerouted to other locations, the general public and participants will still enjoy a quality experience.”

Park and recreation workers will first trap and kill the rodents, Byszeski said. Once the rats are exterminated, workers will repair damages to the barnyard caused by the rats and then the barnyard will reopen, Byszeski said.

“It’s a public health issue,” he said. “We have to get the population under control and do some repairs.”

For more information, call (425) 556-2300.