Photo Gallery: Blizzard of 2015 Drops Record Snowfall on Worcester

Snowstorms certainly are not unusual during Worcester’s winters.

But the blizzard on Jan. 26 and 27 not only made national headlines, it set a new record for a single-storm snowfall in the city at 34.5 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

The massive storm also was the reason the College canceled classes on Jan. 27 and required only essential employees to brave the weather and report to work. Among the essential employees: members of the College grounds crew, who cleared out the nearly three feet of snow dumped by the storm.

The Telegram & Gazette spoke with Ted Heywood, grounds supervisor for Holy Cross, about the cleanup efforts.

“Mr. Heywood said it took a monumental effort of his 15 employees and more than 50 hired hands to get the campus ready for business Wednesday. The college is responsible for plowing 5.4 miles of roads, 4.5 miles of sidewalks, 20 acres of parking lots and nearly 200 staircases,” the newspaper reported.