The Big Dipper Ice Arena, colloquially known as "The Big Dipper", is a multi-purpose

arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...

Fairbanks, Alaska Fairbanks is a home rule city and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska and the second largest in the state. The 2020 Census put the p ...

. The arena is owned and operated by the Fairbanks North Star Borough. Originally constructed as an airplane hangar for the Lend-Lease program in

Tanacross Tanacross (also Transitional Tanana) is an endangered Athabaskan language spoken by fewer than 60 people in eastern Interior Alaska. Overview The word Tanacross (from " Tanana Crossing") has been used to refer both to a village in eastern ...

, southeast of Fairbanks, the building was dismantled, transported to Fairbanks and reassembled in 1968. It has undergone two major renovations since then. The building is home to the

Fairbanks Ice Dogs The Fairbanks Ice Dogs are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's Midwest Division. The Ice Dogs play home games at the 2,200-seat Big Dipper Ice Arena in Fairbanks, Alaska. History Originally started in 1997 in ...

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...

team. The borough's parks and recreation department is headquartered in the building.

History

Prior to 1968, the building now known as the Big Dipper was an aircraft hangar located in Tanacross, Alaska. Constructed during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, the building saw little use after the war. In 1968, Hez Ray, a teacher and coach at Lathrop High School, organized a crew of high school students and volunteers and undertook a project to move the derelict hangar to Fairbanks and repurpose it as an ice skating arena. Coach Ray's initial group of boys were “First Boots on the Ground” in the beginning of the enormous project. The incredible story of this adventure is in Coach Ray's book “The Big Dipper, A Dream is Born”. (Copyright Hez Ray, 2014) () The group purchased the hangar for a dollar and, using equipment donated by Fairbanks construction companies, dismantled the building and moved it to Fairbanks. The volunteers then reconstructed the building in its present location from the dismantled parts of the hangar. After rebuilding the hangar, the volunteers built an ice rink and bleachers inside, but due to a lack of resources the building itself was reconstructed essentially as it had been in Tanacross. Heated restrooms and locker rooms with showers were added in 1972–1973. The building itself remained unheated until its 1980s renovation, with large portable space heaters normally associated with airplane hangars used on occasion in the winter, in an attempt to provide some heat to the facility during events. The Alaska Gold Kings, a hockey team which began in 1975 as a league team sponsored by the

Teamsters Union The International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), also known as the Teamsters Union, is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of The Team Drivers International Union and The Teamsters National Union, the un ...

Local 959, played at the Dipper for their two seasons as a minor-pro team in the

West Coast Hockey League The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nev ...

before moving to Colorado Springs, Colorado. The

World Eskimo Indian Olympics The World Eskimo-Indian Olympics (or WEIO) is an annual multi-sport event held over a four-day period beginning the 3rd Wednesday each July, designed to preserve cultural practices and traditional (survival) skills essential to life in circumpolar ...

was held in the building for most of its existence. When the Dipper was unavailable due to renovations, WEIO decided to hold their 2007 event at the

Sullivan Arena The George M. Sullivan Arena (commonly shortened to the "Sullivan Arena" and often referred to colloquially as "The Sully") is a 6,290 seat arena in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. The arena is named after former Anchorage mayor George M. Sul ...

in Anchorage, the first time it was held outside of Fairbanks. As an enticement to remain in Fairbanks, WEIO was offered the

Carlson Center The Carlson Center is a 4,595-seat multi-purpose arena in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. It is the third largest arena in Alaska by seating capacity after the Sullivan Arena and Alaska Airlines Center, both of which are in Anchorage. It is hom ...

in place of the Dipper for future events, where it has been held since.

References

1968 establishments in Alaska Buildings and structures in Fairbanks, Alaska Indoor arenas in Alaska Indoor ice hockey venues in Alaska Relocated buildings and structures in Alaska Sports venues completed in 1968 Tourist attractions in Fairbanks, Alaska {{FairbanksNorthStarAK-geo-stub