Snow day gives Las Vegans chance for winter fun

By Cydney Cappello, Amanda Finnegan

Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008 | 6:57 p.m.

After a night of messy roads and blizzard like weather, Las Vegas residents found their light at the end of the tunnel with a snow day from school and a chance to enjoy the rare winter scenery.

Clark County School District canceled classes today for the first time since 1979 after the Valley received a heavy snow that measured from 3 to 8 inches across much of the area. The snow day was a first for many and gave children and parents a chance to venture out to local spots and enjoy what was left of the unusual white blanket.

Bryan and Aaron Diaz of Las Vegas took advantage of their break from school to play football with friends at Winchester Park and Community Center.

The two cousins, originally from Brooklyn, N.Y., aren’t strangers to snow, but still welcomed the unexpected snow day in the desert.

“It was like 2 inches and now it’s all melted and we still had no school,” Bryan Diaz said.

“When we were looking outside last night at the snow, we thought we might have a day off,” Aaron Diaz said.

Even the rare winter weather in Las Vegas was a sight for the New York natives.

“I never thought I would see snow out here. They kept saying it was going to be heavy snow, but after a while it was like, whatever, we’ve seen snow all our lives,” Aaron Diaz said.

“The funniest part was seeing the snow on palm trees,” Bryan Diaz said.

Several people gathered at Sunset Park in Las Vegas where there was just enough snow to build snowmen and create snow angels.

For the Simms women, the snow was an excuse to get together to build a snowman like they did when they were little girls.

“We had a snowy day in 1993 and made a snowman then, but it was nothing like this,” Las Vegas resident Julie Simms said. Julie’s daughters phoned her to help build a snowman in Sunset Park. And one of her daughters, Gilbert Magnet School teacher Mary Elliot, was especially excited for the day off.

“This is our first official snow day in Las Vegas,” she said. “There wasn’t enough snow in Mom’s yard so we came here.”

Ramona and Alex Martinez of Las Vegas brought their twin girls, Martha and Carmen, to the park to celebrate their birthday.

“We didn’t know it had snowed out here. We just were going to come to the park. We weren’t really prepared to bring gloves and all that,” Ramona Martinez said.

Ramona even bagged up some snow to bring to a family who has never seen snow before.

“When you touch it or when you fall on it, it’s really cold,” Martha Martinez said.

The birthday girls gave advice on how to build the best snowman: “You just to have to get snow and roll it so it’s really big,” Carmen Martinez said.

The twins argued whether the snowman was a boy or girl, finally settling on making it a boy. But they haven't yet picked a name.

Keeping with the snowman-trend, Kevin Martin and his 7-year-old, Zachary Martin, came to the park to do the same.

Martin said his son was going to have to share his snowman-making skills since he has never made one as a Las Vegas native.

“He’s probably built more snowmen than I have. I can’t remember a time when I’ve made one. Maybe at Mount Charleston but I don’t remember a time when I tried to make one,” the Kevin Martin said.

Zachary tried out his winter gear, by getting on the ground and making a few snow angels and also tossing snowballs at his dad.

“We live out near Palace Station and there was no snow in our front yard and he was a little upset. So we came out here today,” Kevin Martin said. ”So today was the day to make up for the disappointment yesterday.”