A worker uses a Zamboni to resurface the ice as people wait to skate at the Robson Square ice rink in downtown Vancouver, on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
WAKAW, Sask. – A Saskatchewan town has temporarily closed its hockey arena after carbon monoxide likely from a Zamboni left players sick.
The rink in Wakaw, northeast of Saskatoon, was hosting an under-15 hockey tournament last weekend when players began to get ill.
Mayor Mike Markowski says at first people thought it was food poisoning or maybe a flu going around, but eventually they started to connect the dots.
The town called SaskEnergy and the Saskatchewan Health Authority to get answers.
The energy Crown corporation initially thought there was an issue with a furnace in the arena, but further investigation by the health authority linked it to the ice resurfacing machine.
Markowski says the Zamboni and furnace are being repaired and he expects the rink will remain closed until early next week.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 17, 2023.
