All About The Zamboni
Just about anyone who has been out on an ice rink is familiar with the Zamboni, but not everyone is quite as familiar with all about how the Zamboni works. If you've ever been curious how this machine keeps the ice in perfect condition for skaters, look no further than this little lesson in ice rink trivia!
History of the Zamboni
The Zamboni is named for its inventor, Frank J. Zamboni, an inventor who came from Eureka, Utah. Frank had moved to southern California where he was working on cars at his older brother George's auto repair business. His mechanical know-how led him to develop a machine that was used to pack ice blocks for shipment by rail across the country. With the development of refrigeration technology in the years that followed, however, the demand for ice blocks decreased.
Frank saw a way to repurpose his invention so that there would still be a demand for it. Ice skating was beginning to grow in popularity at that time, but there were very few rinks in southern California for skaters to choose from. Frank Zamboni built Iceland Skating Rink in Paramount, California and started using his Zambonis to create a smoother surface than skaters had ever experienced before. The invention caught on and is still in widespread use today.
How the Zamboni Works
There are several components within the Zamboni that the machine uses to make ice perfect for skating. First, a pipe delivers wash water to clean the surface of the ice to prepare it for the resurfacing process. A separate pipe gathers this wash water back up as the next step.
To apply the resurfaced finish to the ice, a third pipe pumps out ice-making water that quickly freezes to the surface of the rink, spread evenly by a trowel. Blades then shave the ice down to a smooth finish, while the Zamboni gathers up excess shaved ice to give the rink a clean look, creating the ideal conditions for skating.
Keeping Your Ice Rink Smooth
As a critical part of maintaining any rink, Zambonis are still used today to resurface ice and ensure that it is smooth and even. That drastically reduces the risk of injuries resulting from falls caused by irregularities in the ice. So next time that you're out skating at CDA On Ice and you see the trusty Zamboni riding by, thank whoever's driving it, and thank Frank J. Zamboni for inventing this useful machine more than a century ago!
You can see the custom-wrapped Blue Zone Zamboni, sponsored by Blue Zone Marketing, in action when you come out to Coeur d’Alene On Ice to do some skating yourself. Watch for its appearance in between each 90-minute skating session. You can bet the rink surface at CDA On Ice will always be smooth and ready for you to enjoy!