Snow piles up as children play in Gardner

GARDNER, Mass. (WHDH) -- A lot of people broke out the shovels in Gardner Thursday, which saw about nine inches of snow.

People woke up to nearly nine inches of snow and the flakes continued to fall Thursday morning.

The Hanson family enjoyed the snowy day during school vacation week. They’re taking advantage of the nine inches of snow that blanketed the area, testing out new sleds at Jackson Park. They were the first ones to leave tracks.

It's the soundtrack to winter; the hums of snow blowers echo throughout Gardner.

The snow began around 8 p.m. Wednesday night and kept falling until late Thursday morning. Plows kept busy trying to keep the roads clear, but cars had to maneuver around the thin layer of ice and snow left behind. Small wind gusts also left some substantial snowdrifts.

After just 30 minutes outside, Kristi Pfeifle wanted to call it quits.

“I don’t like snow at all,” said Pfeifle.

Since it’s the first snowfall of the season, some people were still in a good mood about it.

“She wanted to come out and play and I said ‘it’s still dark honey,’” said one woman.