‘The Iceman’ always connected to his community

He was a regular guy who just happened to drive the Zamboni at the Brantford Civic Centre, but spoke it into the adventure of a lifetime and a book.

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Jimmy “The Iceman” MacNeil, 62, who died Oct. 15, was carried along by Zamboni and hockey fans and his own bigger-than-life personality as he was named Zamboni Driver of the Year and became a well-known fixture in the lore of Canada.

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“Jimmy was a big personality and a kind man,” said Cathy Zamboni, whose husband Frank is in charge of the well-known Brantford plant, where Jimmy would stop and visit.

“We’re going to miss him, but Jimmy left a mark and his legacy will live on.”

MacNeil, who graduated with a history degree and was planning to be a teacher, took a job with the city in the 1980s and, while he was not the only area Zamboni driver, he became known for great ice and an engaging personality.

In 1999 he was nominated Zamboni Driver of the Year in a company promotion, going up against thousands of other Zamboni drivers and even Hollywood celebrities who drove a Zamboni in movies.

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The city, the company and Walter Gretzky got behind Jimmy’s bid for fame and soon it seemed like the whole country knew his name.

Pleas were made in both the Ontario Legislature and the House of Commons for people to vote for Jimmy over the American, who was his nearest rival, and it worked. He handily won the title and had to spend a day doing nothing but television and radio interviews.

He never considered himself the best Zamboni driver in the city but, he claimed to be one of the luckiest and most fortunate people working for Brantford.

In 2001, Jimmy was the driver of the pre-Olympic Zamboni Drive For Gold, taking an ice-machine on a 6,000-kilometer, 69-city tour, accompanied part-way by Walter Gretzky, with people buying time to ride in the Zamboni’s VIP seat.

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That was documented in 2004 when Jimmy’s story was featured on a Tim Hortons cup.

After telling his tale to dozens of groups of schoolchildren, Jimmy wrote and re-wrote a book about his adventures called The Red and White Zamboni Ice Machine, published in 2017.

“They say you get 15 minutes of fame, but I tell people I got three periods and this is overtime,” he said at the time.

When the excitement was all over, says his son Jake MacNeil, Jimmy went back to the rink where it all started but never lost sight of the impact one person could make in a community.

“He saw a way to make a difference in society and it just solidified him,” said MacNeil, who is the general manager of the Caledonia Corvairs team where Jimmy volunteered.

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“Over the years he was an ambassador in the community, going to schools and reading to students. He got up early once a week and went to cook for a children’s breakfast club.”

Jimmy also campaigned to raise funds for the Diabetes Association as he dealt with his own health struggles with that disease.

His health deteriorated over the last year and eventually his great heart gave out.

The family is asking for donations in his memory to be made to the Diabetes Association, St. James Anglican Church in Brantford or the Hobbitstee Wildlife Refugee.

Jimmy leaves behind his wife of 34 years, Lori MacNeil. Together the pair rescued and cared for many abandoned or injured animals.

“They were always helping wildlife. Dad would always complain about the extra animals in the house,” recalled Jake MacNeil, “but he was the first one cuddling them up on the couch and giving them little snacks under the table.”

Along with Jake, Jimmy also leaves daughters Jordan and Jenna and a large extended family.

Friends will be welcomed at Toll Funeral Home on Oct. 29 from 1-3 pm and 5-8 pm with a memorial service to take place Oct. 30 at 11 am

A Zamboni machine will be visiting the funeral home in honor of The Iceman.

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@EXPSGamble

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