The need for a new resurfacer

Most municipal rinks replace their ice resurfacing machines every five years. Our youngest machine is 10 years old! Due to their advanced age, our machines experience frequent mechanical issues and are becoming expensive to maintain. This season alone, we’ve spent more than $7,000 on repairs. The machines are also creating exhaust problems and poor ice conditions, which jeopardizes the safety of our customers and delays our ice schedule.

To ensure efficient continued operations, we need a new Zamboni. This will become our primary indoor resurfacer, and allow us to use a secondary one outside and maintain one as a backup, should the other two fail.

Help us purchase a new machine

A new Zamboni 526 model costs $100,000. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on the generosity of donors to help us fund capital projects such as this. To date, we have raised almost $60,000 and need to raise the remaining $40,000 by September 2019 when the new machine is scheduled to arrive.

Donate to our Zamboni Retirement Fund!

Donors who give $100 or more will be recognized on signage displayed at the rink and can sign the new Zamboni! Donors of $250 or more receive additional benefits (listed below). However, donations of any amount are greatly appreciated!

You may donate online or mail a check to:

Glacier Ice Rink Zamboni Retirement Fund
PO Box 87
Missoula MT 59806

Glacier Ice Rink is a 501(c)3, so your donation is tax deductible.

Thank you for your support!

Questions?

Contact Laura Henning, Executive Director, at 728-0316 x 1.

Donor Levels

Amount Raised: $59,427 (as of June 5)

Anonymous, ATG/Cognizant, Big Sky Brewing Concert Series proceeds, Foundation for Community Health, Logjam Presents/Top Hat Lounge

Our aging fleet of Zambonis

In 1998, Glacier Ice Rink acquired a 10-year old Zamboni ice resurfacing machine named Ethel. When the second sheet opened in 2007, we purchased another used machine, Martha, for $26,000. In 2008, we received Vera, our first new Zamboni. We still have all three machines, and between them, they have 23,380 hours of use. That’s equivalent to 935,200 miles on a car!