Heavy Snowstorm Makes For Great Day For Snowmen And Sledding, Miserable Day For Shoveling

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The snowstorm this weekend was far from everyone's favorite – particularly if they spent hours shoveling or digging out their cars, or tried to drive down an impassable side street.

But as CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reported Sunday, lots of people got out and made the most of it. Kozlov found some people of all ages enjoying the snow in Warren Park in the West Rogers Park neighborhood.

Some kids made an igloo, while some grown men joined their kids in building a 3 1/2-foot high snowman base. The dense snow was also perfect for snowmen, snowballs, and backyard frolicking.

"The solidness of the snow has made for a lot of having to climb," one little girl said.

It is not so perfect for shoveling. One person compared it to shoveling barbells.

"You do want to get to the snow before everyone walks on it, and you might as well do it in stages," a man said.

The mid-storm shoveling that man was undertaking was stage two. Stage three will come around when the snow stops.

It all seemed like a bit of a Sisyphean task, but Sisyphean tasks are sometimes what winter storms are all about.

"You've got to embrace it," the man said.

"If you try and keep up with it as you go, I think it makes it easier," a woman said.

The suburbs also got snow-slammed, making snowblowers more of a necessity than a luxury.

As of midday, the city's side streets were almost impassable too. CBS 2's Kozlov and her crew found that out the hard way.

It too a neighborhood brigade to shovel and push them out after they parked to shoot video of people shoveling their sidewalks.

But at Warren Park, the packed snow led to a packed parking lot as masked sledders hit the sledding hill there in droves. The slick, smooth snow was a definite perk of the biggest snowfall to hit the city in at least three years.

"Sledding was so much fun," said a boy named Hashir. "I just a little bit get hurt, but it was so much fun, and I want to do it again."