Our History

The Harry J. McDonald Memorial Center, located in Eagle River, is a versatile sports facility featuring an Olympic-sized ice rink, indoor turf, two walking tracks, and community rooms. Owned by the Municipality of Anchorage, the facility has been managed by Fire Lake Arena Management, Inc. (FLAMI) since 1984. FLAMI, a non-profit organization founded in 1983, was established specifically to oversee the operations of the McDonald Center.

Originally built in 1984 as an ice venue, the facility was renamed in 1994 to honor Harry McDonald, a beloved Chugiak High School hockey coach who tragically lost his life in a plane crash.

In 2014, the center expanded to include indoor turf, providing year-round access for outdoor field sports. Today, the McDonald Center supports a wide range of youth and adult sports organizations, including the Mustang Hockey Association, Alaska Salmon Sharks, Chugiak Soccer Club, Eagle River Hockey League, and MacPac Figure Skating Club.