RADILIH KOE'/FORT GOOD HOPE - Little children wave excitedly at Keith Cottam as he climbs aboard the Zamboni and drives it across the street from the fire hall garage to the rink to complete his daily ritual.

At least twice a day, Keith Cottam drives the Zamboni over to Fort Good Hope's arena to prepare the rink. - photo courtesy of Freda Kelly

"They're always excited to see the Zamboni," the 34-year-old Fort Good Hope resident laughs.

Since last month, Cottam has been voluntarily clearing and smoothing the community ice rink at least twice a day, before and after hockey practice and public skating.

"I enjoy doing it because the hockey players need good ice," he said. That, and he's the only one who knows how to operate the Zamboni.

For the past four years, Cottam - an avid hockey player himself - worked in maintenance at the arena and was responsible for preparing the surface of the ice with smooth, even Zamboni laps around the rink - something he said took a bit of practice at first.

"When I first started I didn't know how to do the laps without turning too sharp," he said, explaining that he began to take note of other Zamboni drivers' techniques when he watched hockey tournaments in Inuvik.

"I came back and I copied that and it's worked out fine ever since," Cottam added.

But he had planned to take this winter off to care for his infant son, eight-month-old Jason, a future Vancouver Canucks fan, he said.

"They really didn't have anybody else to operate the Zamboni and they were having a hard time finding anybody to run it so eventually I just ended up doing it again," he said. He was afraid if he didn't step up to the task, the community would have to close the rink.

So every day around 1 p.m., Cottam brings Jason to his grandma's, sets out to the rink, arriving before any skaters, and spends the next 45 quiet minutes polishing the ice.

Around 7:30 p.m. he takes the Zamboni out of the garage again, just after young hockey players have finished practice, and smoothes the surface for the next day.

"It makes me feel good to know I'm helping out and keeping the building open," he said, adding that he doesn't need anybody to say thank you.

The children's waves and smiles are thanks enough.