This is Charlie Brown’s observation from the animated short She’s a Good Skate, Charlie Brown. Zamboni’s would appear in Charles Schulz’s timeless Peanuts comic strip a full 48 times as the humble ice resurfacer slowly worked its way into the national psyche.
Paula Coony, Zamboni’s brand manager points out in this 2021 piece “The Zamboni Story: More Than You Ever Imagined” that There was a Zamboni Happy Meal toy, a Zamboni PEZ dispenser, and a Zamboni Matchbox vehicle. And who can forget this classic anthem:
The 2021 article also emphasizes how Canada is a strong market for electric which is obviously why the Town of Bradford chose to purchase one as part of their 2023 budget:
Here is a growing list of other Ontario municipalities who have procured electric Zambonis for their fleets: Loyalist Township, Leamington, Kingston, London, North Bay, Quinte West, Mississauga, Collingwood and Sault Ste. Marie.
Yet here in Aurora, when it came time to electrify this part of the fleet the town made a conscious choice not to purchase a Canadian Zamboni, but instead an Italian Engo.
That didn’t stop mayor Mrakas from referring to it as a “Zamboni” in air quotes.
Even the headline of this news piece is flawed as it claims “Electric Zambonis join municipal fleet”.
Wrong.
Fact : all Zambonis are electric ice surfacers but not all electric ice surfacers are Zambonis.
Case in point : there is no popular song “I want to drive the Electric Ice Surfacer”.
Trying to paint a foreign ice resurfacer as a localy made Zamboni is both factually incorrect and downright insulting.
Where is the oversight from the leadership at Aurora council for the municipality to get things done like shopping local during its procurment process?
Could you imagine Brantford, the home of Wayne Gretzky where the Zamboni is manufactured procuring an Engo over a Zamboni? No, because they didn’t and it wouldn’t even enter into the realm of possibilities.
Why is it okay here in Aurora?
Aurora has endorsed a Sports Tourisim plan. How does the acquisition of facsimile Zamboni align with encouraging others in the hockey community to want to come to Aurora?
The town’s enterance signage is augmented with tacky “home of” signs listing NHL hockey players. What would they have to say about this level of selling out a cherished Canadian brand to some foreign deal?
Either strong mayo Mrakas is oblivious to the hypocracy that gets done under his leadership, or he just doesn’t care.
This week he is pushing out selfies to encourage Aurorans to attend the local farmers market complete with the hashtag #shoplocal:
So #shoplocal for peameal bacon sandwiches shop local but that logic just goes out the window for iconic Canadian ice resurfacers.
Good grief!
#ShopLocalJustNotCanadian
#YouBlockheadMrakas
#KeepYourShtickOffTheIce
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