By Terrence Casey

When freezing temperatures hit the Delaware Valley this winter, many residents retreated indoors. But at the corner of Summit and North Hillcrest Roads, Jess Badolato and her neighbors saw an opportunity for a colorful community project. What started as a creative challenge between two families soon transformed into a vibrant “rainbow igloo” that has been stopping traffic and spreading smiles throughout the neighborhood.

The project was a joint venture between the Badolatos and their neighbors across the street, the Arimotos. While the parents spearheaded the construction, the heart of the project was for the kids: Cammie and Chase Badolato along with Josephine and Emmaline Arimoto. “We obviously did this for the kids,” Jess Badolato said. “They all love to play outside in the snow, and we thought it would be a fun activity to all do together.”

The process was a study in patience and sub-freezing consistency. Using aluminum foil pans, the families froze hundreds of individual ice bricks tinted with food coloring, letting them set for 12 to 24 hours at a time. In total, the team dedicated about eight hours of labor over the course of a week to stack and secure the colorful blocks.

As the structure grew, so did the neighborhood’s interest. Neighbors frequently offered waves, encouragement, and positive feedback as they watched the rainbow walls take shape. (It even generated news coverage from CBSnews.) To add to the magic, the families even installed string lights to illuminate the igloo from within at night. The glowing display has become a local sensation, with neighbors often stopping to admire the colors or even asking to take family photos inside the icy masterpiece.