With a white Christmas far from certain, one determined Windsor resident decided to bring the snow to him.
Mike Evans, a 34-year-old CBC cameraman, drove to a nearby hockey arena and filled the back of his pick-up truck with snow discarded by the arena, then drove back home to dump it in his front yard. After a second trip and some help from friends, the Evans family made their own snow-covered front-yard complete with an ice slide down the centre.
Mike Evans gives Chloe Patrick, 7, and sister Melanie Patrick, 6, push down his snowy sidewalk. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star
Now, with the new white blanket on their lawn, the Evans can safely say they’re the only Windsor family who will have a white Christmas.
“I love Windsor and I love how we have relatively mild winters but I also wanted snow at Christmas time,” he said.
Evans said his parents often invite him down to Florida for the holidays, but he usually stays in Windsor.
“I love the nostalgia of it,” he said. “I wouldn’t give it up even for a warm climate.”
Determined to have snow at Christmas, Evans said he thought of the rink up the street from his McKay avenue home as an abundant source of snow. He grabbed a friend and they began making trips to the rick and back with Evans’ truck, discovering a mouth guard in the snow, but not much else.
After two trips for snow, Evans said he and his friend decided against a third.
“We were too tired and we’d run out cigars,” he said with a laugh.
The Sunday night white Christmas plan attracted the attention of passersby and neighbours, with those in cars rubbernecking as they drove by. Neighbours joined in and took pictures.
“All the neighbours have been super excited,” Evans said. “They’ve stuck their heads out their doors and heckled me. We throw snowballs at them.”
Neighbours Melanie Patrick, 6, and Chloe Patrick, 7, joined in on the fun Sunday and spent the day sliding down the ice slide.
“We’ll be making a snowman, having a snowball fight, and we’re going to try to make an igloo, but we probably don’t have enough snow for that,” said the younger Patrick sister.
The snow-hauling and snow-spreading event turned into an unexpected party, with round two happening tonight. Evans said he’s excited for the kids (and some parents) to see the snow.
“I told the parents ‘don’t tell the kids, I want it to be a surprise but make sure they wear snowpants,’” he said.
“I’ve got a couple more surprises planned, but nothing as big as this … It’s going to be a winter wonderland.”
The entire process was recorded and uploaded to YouTube where the video hasd about 40 views by Tuesday morning.
Mike Evans might be the only person in Essex County prepared for a white Christmas. Evans has covered his whole front yard with snow, taken from a local arena Monday, December 24, 2012. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star
Chloe Patrick, 7, enjoys a snowy afternoon at the home of Mike Evans, who might be the only person in Essex County prepared for a white Christmas. Evans has covered his whole front yard with snow, taken from a local arena Monday, December 24, 2012. (NICK BRANCACCIO/The Windsor Star)
