City of Plymouth’s Latest Job Opening: A Zamboni Driver
Whether you’re a musical fan of the Gear Daddies, a huge hockey nut, or just love big machines, there’s a job opening in Plymouth that may pique your interest.
“This year we’re looking a little bit harder,” said Erik Halverson, manager of the Plymouth Ice Center. “I think just like every business, they’re looking for part-time help, and we’re no different in that aspect.”
And it’s not just any job. The city of Plymouth has a part-time opening for a Zamboni driver.
It’s work that hockey fans seem to admire.
“Little kids love watching the Zamboni,” said Halverson.
Zamboni is actually a brand name for the machine. Halverson pointed out that they’re technically called “ice resurfacers.”
Halverson has driven one himself since 2001, which has led to some fun opportunities.
“I was able to drive the Zamboni down at the Xcel Energy Center once,” he said.
The allure of the job is more than crowd-pleasing. It’s also plays a role in keeping programming for local hockey teams running, or rather, skating smoothly.
“You have a sheet of ice that’s all dirty and you come out there and make it clean and shiny,” said Halverson.
Resurfacing a rink takes about 10-15 minutes to complete.
‘Like Driving a Car’
Halverson says it takes about two weeks to get trained and learn all the levers. But driving the machine is not as intimidating as it might seem to some.
“It is like driving a vehicle or a lawnmower,” said Halverson. “You got a gas pedal and you got a brake pedal as well. The only difference is you’re on ice.”
The two ice resurfacers the city of Plymouth have are electric. They each go up to 15 miles per hour and have studded tires to help with slippage.
“Once you get a little more advanced, you start worrying about how much ice you’re taking off, how much water you’re putting down,” said Halverson.
The rinks at Plymouth Ice Center (PIC) are about 1 1/2 inches thick. Professional hockey arenas have slightly less thickness, usually 1 1/4 inches, because of less usage and the thinner ice allows for logos to appear better for the viewing audience. Each of the three PIC rinks takes about 10 to 15 minutes to resurface.
“You don’t have to be a hockey fan to do this. You just have to enjoy driving a big piece of equipment,” said Halverson.
The job does require working weekends and some week nights. It also includes additional tasks such as cleaning and assisting with skate rentals.
For more information on this and other jobs with the city of Plymouth, click here.
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