For the past two days a few of my upperwestside neighbors toiled away molding ice blocks to build a
fabulous igloo in Riverside Park that looked just like the real thing. They sprayed it with water to make
sure it was frozen solid. It was open at the top so there was no danger of the roof falling in. Beside the
igloo they sculpted an Inuit man ice fishing.
The installation was a spectacular work of art and architecture and immediately became a community
gathering place and a super photo op. It was especially popular with toddlers who fit perfectly through
the low arched doorway and whose parents could hoist them up for a peek through the open roof. But
sadly the killjoys in the Parks Department demanded that the igloo be leveled. It was unsafe—or so they
said. The guys who were ordered to accomplish the destruction were chagrined. One told me that he
had planned to bring his young daughter the next day.
So just who are on the igloo safety committee and against what criteria do they measure? Is there such
a thing as an igloo building permit? Aren’t snow forts a traditional and treasured part of winter?
C’mon—give us a break!
For $4.99 you can buy a handy plastic snow mold especially made for building snow forts and igloos. It was awarded a prize for “best snow toy”. It has never been recalled for being hazardous to children. There are websites detailing how you can make an igloo with an ordinary bucket. Warning: If you want a long-lasting igloo, don’t build in a New York City Park! You might have better luck on the street.
Posted by Martha Cooper on February 16, 2010 at 05:08 PM
