The City of Swift Current announced the purchase of a new ice resurfacer for close to $190,000. 

The ice resurfacer joins a fleet of three with two being located at the Innovation Credit Unit iPlex with the other one located at the Fairview area. The new 2019 Olympia Millennium E will be operational at the iPlex. One of the existing iPlex resurfacers will move to Fairview with the current Fairview resurfacer being used as a backup.

Kathy Hopfner, GM of corporate services with the City of Swift Current, said that the reason for the purchase was to do to breakdowns to the Fairview ice resurfacer.  

"Last fall the city began to experience operational issues with the unit located at Fairview," she said. "Generally, breakdowns would occur during times when the mechanics or facility foreman were not on shift. When the unit requires extensive repair and cannot be returned to service in a timely matter, the backup unit is transported from the iPlex to Fairview. There may be one hour or longer delay at either or both of the facilities if the unit is required at a Bronco game. Operations at Fairview are shut down until the repairs are made or the unit can be transported to the iPlex, resulting in a reduction to the level of service." 

Big Hill Services Ltd. of Cochrane, Fer-Marc Equipment Ltd. of Regina, and Engo Equipment of Calgary all submitted proposals for the supply and delivery. Big Hill Services was selected to supply and deliver the new ice resurfacer for a total cost of $189,526. 

Hopfner said that there are many positives to the new machine, including the city expecting it to the last for over the next two decades. 

"The recommended unit is the Olympia Millennium E. The new electric machines electric capital cost is a little more than the propane unit however it is expected to last for 25 years and will reduce the cost of a flood from $3.50 to $0.25," she said. "This machine makes sense at the iPlex as there is enough time between usage to maintain a charge." 

Councilor George Bowditch said that he was happy to see the purchase because it just makes things easier on everybody involved. 

"We never know when the machine is going to breakdown. I have seen the odd time the Zamboni running back and forth from the iPlex and Fairview and back and forth," he said. "You cannot imagine how unhappy the fans are, or the parents or the hockey players are if there is a great big delay, and anything that we can do to help eliminate those delays makes our life so much easier." 

As part of the proposal, the city will purchase a storage shed for the old Fairview resurfacer, which Hopfner expects to cost less than $1,000.