Any predictions for Ice-Out day on the Newton Centre Playground snow pile? I hiked to the high point yesterday and for lack of anything better, stuck in a broken branch that was handy. I’ll wild guess it would hit the ground (or whatever non-meltable debris is underneath) May 5. (Or is that too pessimistic?)
But more likely, the snow pile will have some help in dispersing from Parks & Rec or Public Works, in order to start repairing or replacing the sod where the snow-moving equipment dug it up.
Too bad the ice on that pond at the base is only about a quarter inch thick, or we could have another Newton Centre skating rink. With all the melting to come, I wonder when that area will be walkable again. And if we continue to have huge snowfalls, these could be recurring geographical features on the Newton landscape.
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Julia – Did you carry that broken branch up there yourself … or did the sherpa do it?
I’ll count on some warm spring rain and put a few chips on April 15
It was already up there, so I guess the front end loader did it. I didn’t carry oxygen either. 😉
Just wondering if you ever considered that climbing on this pile was not the safest thing to do? And if kids saw you, would they then think it was okay for them to climb up?
TheWholeTruth – Its a pile of snow (and dirt). What’s the problem?
@Jerry,
Its a large pile of snow, mixed with all kinds of dirt, rocks and who knows what else. People (and kids) could very easily either fall into the pile or slip and slide off the pile, perhaps into the little pool of water at the base. It just seems to me that some things are not meant to climb on and this is one of them. And one can only imagine the law suit dropped on the City if something like this happened. Just think its not safe.
@TWT: talk about cranky responses! If it is so dangerous (and not just a disgusting mess) the City should get it out of there. Better yet, not put it there to begin with.
@Julia: I hope your tetanus vaccine is up to date.
I’d say its safer than walking on a street where the sidewalks aren’t shoveled, or climbing over a snowbank on a corner. No rusty metal, just some bent metal tubing thing down by the tennis court. Mine were not the first footprints, either, and its so flat at the top with a slight dip that you could hide a body up there and not see it from below. Might not be a bad idea to check it once a day.
@Barbara,
There was nothing “cranky” at all about what i said. I simply voiced my concern for the safety of people climbing on this pile of snow. Yeah, I do think the City should have fenced it off to keep people out of there. And just because there were other footprints on the pile does not mean it’s a good idea. Think whatever you want about what I said. I wont apologize for thinking and commenting on what I think was a very unwise thing to do. Period. (And yes, THIS is a cranky response)
TWT: You are also forgetting that Julia Malakie is a superhero, also known as an experienced photojournalist. As such she does lots of things us mortals and our children, should not do.
TWT – Hmm …. I’m afraid I still don’t get it. Climbing on big piles of snow doesn’t seem like a reckless or overtly dangerous activity. You might get wet, you might get dirty, you might have fun. Clearly we’ve got different perspectives on this one.
Could you imagine somehow, under some condition, someone could be hurt? Sure, but that’s true of just about any imaginable activity.
One of the most popular winter sport involves attaching skis to your feet and flying down the side of mountains at high speed – now that’s got some real danger potential … but climbing on a pile of snow??
In any case, lets just hope we get some warm weather and its all gone soon.
@Jerry,
Unlike natural mountains, this pile is man=made and contains a whole lot more than just fluffy powder. I think what concerns me the most is that when this pile was created, it was truckload after truckload of snow and debris dumped into a pile. When this happens, there is potential for air pockets to develop and this is how people could get hurt. Picture climbing up the hill, setting your foot down and having it go right thru into a air pocket. Now, you are potentially stuck here. And depending on the size of this, and on your size, you could get pretty deep. This does not happen on the side of ski mountains. And consider if this was a small child. And then consider if this same small child slid down the pile into the pool of water gathering there…
I firmly believe this pile and all of those like it in the City should be fenced off and posted as dangerous.
@Greg,
Superhero photojournalists are not exempt. Just because you can do something does not mean you should.
Clearly you all disagree with me and that’s fine. Let’s just hope I never have to come back here and say I told you so.