Grey Highlands council has voted to spend $140,000 in 2025 to replace one of its ice resurfacing machines that is close to 50 years old.
At a special budget committee of the whole meeting, council voted to add $140,000 to the 2025 tax levy to replace one of its fleet of four ice resurfacers.
In a report, staff outlined that two of the municipality’s four ice resurfacing machines are far past their best-before dates. The machine at the Rocklyn arena was purchased in 1975 and the machine at the Osprey arena was purchased in 1987. Both machines frequently need repairs and a major breakdown would cause operations at one of the arenas to cease while a temporary unit could be brought in.
“We are playing chicken with this, if you will,” said Mike Botelho, the municipality’s manager of operations, parks and recreation. “At any moment these pieces of equipment could break down.”
Members of council acknowledged it was time to make the commitment and add a new machine to its ice resurfacing fleet.
“Let’s replace one of the two that, respectfully, belong in a museum,” said Deputy Mayor Dane Nielsen.
Mayor Paul McQueen agreed and suggested the old machine remain in the municipality’s possession as a spare.
“We do need to have reliable equipment,” he said. “We can’t have our ice open and not have a resurfacer.”
Coun. Paul Allen noted that the municipality is now on a program to lease its vehicles and asked if leasing an ice resurfacer is a possibility.
“I don’t even know if that option is available,” said Botelho, who noted that there are only two suppliers of ice resurfacers.
Council voted in favour of adding the $140,000 cost of a new machine to the budget. Botelho said the plan would be to have the new machine in place by September for the next ice season.
Council’s decision is not final, the matter could be revisited towards the end of the budget process as the final budget figures are more complete.
