If you’ve watched a hockey game at Williston in the last 20 years, you’ve probably seen Support Operations Manager Dan Gould piloting the Zamboni around Lossone Rink. Among many jobs Gould has as part of Williston’s Facilities crew, he oversees a team of four other drivers who keep Williston’s ice in pristine shape. If that sounds like a lot of drivers, it is—because Williston’s rink is in almost constant use. On any given weekend day during the winter, for example, the ice sheet at Lossone Rink can host up to nine games, or nearly 30 “ice cuts” with the machine. “I enjoy driving the Zamboni and giving us great ice,” Gould says. “We have, we think, one of the best surfaces in Western Massachusetts.” To get that quality, the school purchased its latest Zamboni in the summer of 2024, replacing the old machine that had operated for more than 25 years. With a price tag north of $200,000, the new Zamboni machine was tailor-made for the ice at Lossone (fun fact: All Zambonis are custom-built to order). Gould shared some other tricks of the trade with us on these pages.

Hot and Cold Layers

The Zamboni works by putting down two layers of water. The first is a cold wash that replenishes the overall ice sheet. Next is the hot (130 degrees) wash that fills in cracks and crevices on the surface. Each time the Zamboni hits the ice, it is carrying a couple hundred gallons of water. Additionally, the machine also stores the “snow” scraped off by the blades, which is then dumped in a pile outside of the rink.

Ice Thickness

The crew keeps the ice between an inch and an inch-and-a-half thick. Any thicker, and the quality would diminish. Thinner, and the floor underneath could be damaged.

Zamboni Care 101

The Zamboni requires regular maintenance to keep it in tip-top shape. Gould’s team does a complete greasing of the machine parts once a week to keep the hydraulics in order, and the blades—which weigh about 80 pounds each—underneath the machine are changed every 40 cuts or so. The lithium batteries also need care, and the machine is charged at least twice a day on busy schedules.

A True Heavyweight

Williston’s Zamboni weighs in at about 7,000 pounds. The four-wheel drive machine tops out around 14 miles per hour, has special grippy ice tires, runs on lithium batteries, and has a bespoke design featuring all the requisite branding the machine could need.

Mind the Boards

New drivers take about a week to learn how to drive the machine, Gould notes. While it steers with a wheel, the sheer size of the machine makes driving difficult. “The hardest part is taking corners,” Gould said, referencing blind spots created by the height of the machine’s front end.

Unique Back End

There’s a lot of science behind ice-making, and WIlliston’s Zamboni features a “fin” on the back of the machine that sprays water to help make the fresh sheet of ice. Other machines will have a towel on the back of the machine spreading the water. “The fin gives you a little bit better ice quality,” Gould says.