While it may seem like there are "snow hills" everywhere, the excess snow dumped in parking lots all around Weyburn from City Crews clearing the streets may be tempting for kids to play on, even when it's not safe to do so.

Trent Lee, Acting Fire Chief with Weyburn Fire Services, said there are some hidden dangers in the piles of snow, especially if they're not on private property.

The first hazard is due to the fluctuating temperatures.

"Temperatures fluctuating from in the minus 30s to zero degrees, so re-freezing allows for hidden dangers that we need to be aware of, and precautions that we can take to keep our children safe," explained Lee. "It  potentially could be a deathtrap for children. The piles might look like they're hard and sturdy, but snow piles often contain soft pockets or pockets of air that can lead to sinkholes. Kids can fall in, causing the pile to collapse. It could trap them and possibly lead to suffocation."

He said even if they survive, they could be suffering from hypothermia. 

"Other hidden dangers such as we don't know what has been pushed up in that snowbank. It could be broken pieces of metal broken glass, and so there's lots of little things that we do need to make sure that as adults, we keep a constant eye on our kids when they're playing in the snow. If they're building snow forts, we don't let them build tunnels that could collapse on top of them or a roof in a snow fort that could also collapse on top of them."

photo by marna

"Whenever kids are playing in around snow, we have to keep constant attention on them, not only for collapse and other items that could be in the snowbank, but crews who are out moving snow, might not know there's a a child with a tunnel or a snow fort underneath that pile of snow and they might show up to move that snow bank and it's not something we want to think of," he illustrated.

"The thing to do if anything has gone wrong, is immediately call 911 and get emergency crews on their way."

Lee noted if the snow piles are made in back yards, they are a lot safer, since, as the snow melts and freezes it compacts even more.  

"Mostly machine-made and nature-made create the hazards," he clarified. "Tunnels are always a hazard and should always be discouraged."

While it may seem like innocent childhood play to take advantage of all the snow piles around Weyburn, the perils aren't worth the fun, especially when there are designated places in Weyburn, such as River Park, where toboganing is encouraged, and are fun for the whole family.