A Zamboni used to maintain the Icelandic River skating trail was safely recovered Saturday after breaking through the ice west of Arborg, with no injuries reported and no visible damage to the machine.
The incident occurred at approximately 1 p.m. while the operator was scraping the trail and dumping shaved ice near the riverbank. The operator was able to exit the Zamboni immediately, stepping off the platform and onto the ice without injury.
Emergency and municipal crews responded and first assessed ice thickness and overall safety conditions before beginning recovery efforts.
“Once crews arrived on scene, we assessed the thickness of the ice and the safety of the rescue operation,” said Town of Arborg employee Ron Johnston who assisted with the recovery. “We decided to recover the Zamboni to the north bank.”
Johnston said securing the submerged machine presented challenges during the operation.
“The challenge we had was finding a secure area to attach the chains for recovery while being submersed,” they said.
The Zamboni entered the ice in town and went down approximately 1½ miles west of Arborg. While this marked the first time the Zamboni had been used to clean the trail this season, the trail itself had been cleared and swept multiple times using other equipment.
Ice thickness on the Icelandic River is monitored regularly, with recent measurements in town ranging between 12 and 13 inches. However, conditions can vary along the river.
“In this location, where the river has a sharp bend, the ice was not thick enough to support the loaded Zamboni,” said Johnston. “In this instance, the operator had left the trail to dump the shaved ice. We always encourage the public to stay on the trail when skating.”
No visible damage was reported to the Zamboni, which is used exclusively for maintaining the river trail and outdoor rink. Indoor arena operations and community skating schedules were not affected. An estimated cost for the recovery was not available as of publication.
