When you envision a Zamboni, you think about that big machine gliding around in circles as it resurfaces the ice.
Well, the Village of Stillwater doesn’t have a Zamboni machine, but they do have the “Zamboni Brothers.” Meet community volunteers and first cousins Tim Campbell and Jim Peacock (see photo to the right).
When the Village rink was started last year late in the season with little or no success, the “Brothers” approached the Village Board to buy a liner to make a skating rink and was granted the request.
The liner is 20,000 sq. ft., all one piece and covers the entire basketball court. Tim and Jim installed it before Thanksgiving and filled it with water. The rink holds 46,000 gallons of water, yet it is only 4 inches deep and thanks to their efforts, the Village now has a community ice skating rink. The “Zamboni Brothers” maintain the rink by reflooding when needed and keeping the ice free from snow with the DPW’s tractor. Thanks to their continued efforts, the Village and Town can enjoy a great place to skate.
The rink, located at the basketball courts next to the American Legion, is open to the Village and Town residents and is totally free with unlimited hours of operation for day and night skating. We are asking the public to police the rink themselves and treat it as if it were their own, which it is. Currently there are no rink guards, but on a real busy day or for an event, guards will be assigned as needed. So grab your skates and join in the fun.