A shiny new tractor will soon be clearing snow from the city’s core.
A new Kubota tractor has been purchased and specially equipped to clear snow from downtown sidewalks, as the Downtown Orillia BIA’s current sidewalk snowplow has been deemed “beyond reasonable repair,” said a press release from the DOBIA.
At only five years old, the previous German-made snowplow regularly broke down, and was quite expensive to fix as parts needed to be shipped from Germany.
Initially projected to last 10 years, the DOBIA said “the city was not prepared to buy another snowplow for another five years,” and the board ultimately decided to purchase the new $51,900 tractor with its own funds.
DOBIA officials said the new tractor will be clearing sidewalks in the near future.
“It was important to the board to not only invest in quality, but to try and support a Canadian manufacturer if possible,” said board chair Michael Fredson.
"When BIA staff research recommended the best option was a Kubota, we felt even better about the situation," Fredson added.
“We have an agreement with the City of Orillia to cover the costs of repairs and maintenance, so the city was also very happy with our choice, as Kubota tractors are easy to repair and get parts for.”
The DOBIA and the city have an agreement allowing the DOBIA to use certain equipment for snow maintenance downtown, which “ensures that (DOBIA) businesses receive a higher level of dedicated service than most other downtown areas in Ontario,” the press release said.
The DOBIA is also looking for the community’s help to name the new tractor, with plans to release a shortlist of names for people to vote on in the near future.
