The new Olympia electric ice resurfacer, nicknamed the “Ice Bear,” has replaced the 12-year-old propane Zamboni machine at Fuller Lake Arena.
Each year, the ice resurfacer at Fuller Lake Arena operates for approximately 700 hours, delivering about 2,800 ice cleans.
The now-retired propane Zamboni consumed just under 5,500 litres of propane per year, amounting to 8.39 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. The newly-purchased electric machine will complete the same amount of work without any CO2e emissions.
“Investing in machinery like this allows us to work smarter,” noted Don Stewart, North Cowichan’s director of Parks and Recreation. “Working with our environmental coordinator, we are pursuing ways to reduce our corporate emissions simply through our purchasing decisions.”
While the electric machine costs $60,000 more than the propane machine, it is projected to save $40,000 over its 10-year lifespan with reduced annual maintenance and fuel costs.
This purchase was supported by a $60,000 investment from North Cowichan’s Climate Action and Energy Plan reserve fund in recognition of the emissions that the machine will save.