Cliff Buchan
News Editor

As donations to the school district go, they donít much bigger than this.

The Hallberg Family Foundation announced this week it will purchase a 2006 Zamboni Model 552 ice resurfacing machine for the ISD 831 Maroon and Gold Ice Arena.

The $106,521 electric-powered ice resurfacing machine should be available for use at the start of the skating season in the fall. A contract between the Hallberg Family Foundation and ISD 831ís Superintendent Lynn Steenblock was signed on April 22.

ìIím excited. This is kind of fun,î said Dana Hallberg on behalf of his father Gene Hallberg and the family foundation from Hallberg Marine in Wyoming. The foundation is a family organization formed to support worthy needs and causes in the area.

The new Zamboni, which will be built by Frank Zamboni and Co., Paramount, CA, will replace a 1973 Model HDB Zamboni.

According to Tom Moravec, Maroon and Gold supervisor, the district-owned Zamboni is the oldest operating machine still in use in the United States. Keeping the Zamboni in top operating shape has been a maintenance challenge and spare parts for the machine are hard to come by, Moravec said.

It is such reasons, coupled with the still heavy use of the school ice arena, that motivated the Hallbergs to get involved in funding the new Zamboni for ISD 831.

Hallberg said the idea grew on him after winter meetings with Moravec. When Hallberg learned that the current Zamboni was out of date and the arena draws in 5000 people a week during the skating season, the family agreed the need was justified.

Moravec said he was shocked and overwhelmed by the generosity of the Hallbergs.

ìI never had a dream,î Moravec said. ìIt all happened so fast.î

Under the contract, the Hallberg Family Foundation agrees to spread out its contribution for the Zamboni over a 10-year period. The foundation will also be granted permission for its name to be painted on the Zamboni and to have one display board in the arena. Hallberg will cover the cost of any advertising painting.

The foundation will also have an option of contributing at least $5000 a year to the district for continued support of the Zamboni and the ice facility at the end of the 10-year period.

ìIt all fell together,î Hallberg said. ìBetween Tom and thinking about it, it just happened. It was a good decision and the district needed it.î

Hallberg and Moravec said there should be no transition problem for the new machine should the school arena close and a new skating facility built as part of a new Forest Lake Community Center.

Hallberg said the family toyed with the idea of waiting until that facility was constructed but felt the need was warranted right now.

ìThey (ISD 831) might as well use it now,î Hallberg said. ìIt can go to the new facility later.î

Moravec said with an electric-powered machine, the arena will greatly enhance its environmental concerns and have a machine that operates with greater efficiency.

The donation is the largest made by the foundation. The family made a major financial commitment to the Lakeside Memorial Park project in Forest Lake and has donated funds for scholarships.

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Forest Lake Times
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