Some are calling it the ultimate Canadian story.
Central Saanich resident, Marko Kardum, was given a warning by police on Monday night after using his Zamboni to clean a street in his neighbourhood.
Global News caught up with Kardum, who said he was just trying to help out his aunt and neighbours because their street had not yet been cleaned following the evening’s heavy snowfall.
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Sitting on top of his Zamboni, wearing a quintessential plaid lumber jacket while sipping a large Tim Horton’s coffee, Kardum cuts a clearly Canadian figure.
“We had cleaned out the roads in the morning and then there was a big snowfall at 6 p.m. and there was a good 5 inches on the road,” Kardum explained.
“So we were using the tractors before and thought it’d be fun to bring out the Zamboni and see how it worked. Then the next thing you know, we’re getting pulled over by the police.”
Officers had received a report from a person who saw the machine, which is normally used to resurface ice, driving up and down Tanner Road and Central Saanich Road around 8 p.m.
While there was some concern over the machine making road conditions worse, Kardum says he was using the machine to only pick up the snow, which is then put into a bucket inside the Zamboni. They were not adding water to the surface.
Central Saanich police let the Good Samaritan off with a warning since the Zamboni is a motor vehicle and needs to be insured. Kardum picked up the used Zamboni at a B.C. auction for $300 and uses it to move around horse manure on his farm.
“This is pretty unique,” Central Saanich Cpl. Dan Cottingham laughed.
“This is our first Zamboni call that I’m aware of…”
Cottingham knows Kardum had good intentions to try to clear the snow.
“It was a heavy snowfall at the time but it is a motor vehicle and it needs to be insured,” he said. “If someone were to crash into him there would be liability issues.”
Kardum’s father, Marko Sr., didn’t know anything about the incident until Tuesday morning but he echoed Cottingham’s comments.
“My son’s a hard-working man. He likes to help people, he’s got a big heart,” Marko Sr. said.
But there’s no denying the irony.
“It’s kind of the ultimate Canadian story, right?,” Cottingham chuckled.
“The winter, the snow, the Zamboni, and the Tim Hortons… Local boy here trying to help out and do the right thing… it’s a great story.”
~ with a file from Jon Azpiri
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