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North Cowichan goes green with electric ice resurfacer

Fuller Lake Arena’s old Zamboni retired, takes emmissions away with it

Just in time for the New Year, it’s out with the old and in with the new at North Cowichan’s Fuller Lake Arena.

The 12-year-old propane-powered Zamboni has been retired and replaced with a new Olympia electric ice resurfacer.

Staff have dubbed the new machine the “Ice Bear”.

The purchase cost a pretty penny — $60,000 more than a propane machine — but given its lower maintenance and fuel costs, the electric machine is projected to save $40,000 over its 10-year lifespan.

The money came in part from North Cowichan’s Climate Action and Energy Plan reserve fund in recognition of the emissions that the machine will save.

“Investing in machinery like this allows us to work smarter,” said North Cowichan’s Parks and Recreation director, Don Stewart. “Working with our environmental coordinator, we are pursuing ways to reduce our corporate emissions simply through our purchasing decisions.”

With approximately 700 hours of service a year and 2,800 ice cleans, it took the old Zamboni roughly 5,450 litres of propane a year to operate, amounting to 8.39 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Ice Bear, will do the same amount of work with zero CO2e emissions.



sarah.simpson@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

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The 12-year-old propane-powered Zamboni at Fuller Lake Arena has been retired and replaced with a new Olympia electric ice resurfacer.


Sarah Simpson

About the Author: Sarah Simpson

I started my time with Black Press Media as an intern, before joining the Citizen in the summer of 2004.
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