The Downtown Orillia BIA (DOBIA) Board of Management is excited to share the news that they have purchased a brand-new Kubota tractor that has been specially equipped to become the new sidewalk snowplow for the downtown area.
The current sidewalk snowplow was deemed to be beyond reasonable repair and was not going to be able to be used by DOBIA maintenance staff for the upcoming winter. The German-made machine was regularly breaking down for extended periods of time with parts being both difficult to acquire and quite expensive, as they had to be shipped from Germany. It was also a highly specialized piece of equipment that was challenging to repair.
Additionally, due to the fact that the current snowplow is only five years old and was projected to last for at least ten years, the city was not prepared to buy another snowplow for another five years. Rather than risk having to try and operate another used older machine for the next five years, the BIA Board decided to invest in something new to ensure there would be minimal service interruptions for downtown businesses for at least the next five years.
“It was important to the Board to not only invest in quality, but to support a Canadian manufacturer if possible. When BIA staff research recommended the best option was a Kubota, we felt even better about the situation. 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.” – Michael Fredson, DOBIA Board Chair.
The DOBIA and the City of Orillia have an agreement that sees DOBIA maintenance staff allowed to use certain city equipment to plow and spread salt on sidewalks in the downtown area. This ensures that Downtown Orillia BIA businesses receive a higher level of dedicated service than most other downtown areas in Ontario. The agreement is beneficial to both parties as it saves the city money despite also covering the costs of repairs, maintenance and insurance of the equipment. #orillia #downtownorillia
