News

Dunedin suffered its heaviest snowfall in fifteen years, bringing widespread chaos and disruption to the city, but also delivering a couple of days welcome entertainment to the student population that didn’t have to study for UMAT.

During the early hours of Sunday July 24, snow began to fall on those Monkey Bar patrons who were stumbling home suitably light of coin and completely bereft of dignity. Other residents of North Dunedin awoke later that morning to be greeted by a blanket of virgin white snow covering the student ghetto.
 
For the majority, the snow and ice meant freedom from lectures and labs on Monday. It was declared via national radio and television that the University of Otago was closed for the day, despite this not being the case.
 
Students were left confused and frustrated as the University failed to communicate that many lectures were not in fact cancelled until midday. The fact that most classes were still on was not posted to Blackboard until after many lectures were scheduled to have run.
 
Additionally, the central library was forced to shut early to ensure that staff working would be able to commute home.
 
The closure of many roads across the South Island meant that some lucky mountain-goers could enjoy another day or two of excellent fresh powder. Those less fortunate, who were travelling when the snows hit, found themselves unable to get over the Kilmog, and many had to either endure a night freezing in their cars or spend the evening in one of those awkward small towns like Waikouaiti.
 
However, the snow did bring a positive element to Dunedin. For the first time this year students were able to amuse themselves with something that didn’t involve alcohol or shelving. A record number of people were seen outside frolicking in the snow, a marked change from the typical Sunday regime of students hiding inside with a blue Powerade and a Disney movie while scratching away at their newly acquired rashes.
 
Indeed commotion rang from all corners of North Dunedin as snowball fights delivered hilarity and damage to property in equal measure.
 
One particularly misguided second year student lobbed a stray curveball that violently smashed the window of the local kindergarten. Fortunately the kindergarten was closed at the time of the assault, as witnesses to the incident assured Critic that there would have been many innocent children brutally murdered had the building been full.
 
The unnamed female assailant attempted to board up the window with some plywood and tape stating, “I thought it would be good karma. It’s pretty fucking funny now but I did feel terrible”.
 
Castle St was flourishing with life as residents engaged in inter-flat snowball fights, optimistic cross country skiing, and rather more daredevil manoeuvres involving clinging to the back of a fast-moving Toyota Hilux and sliding through the snow.
 
Nine people turned up at Dunedin Hospital's emergency department with ice-related injuries on Sunday, four on Monday and five on Tuesday.