FAIRBANKS — The Fairbanks North Star Borough held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new animal shelter on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at Leasure Street. The overall project has a $33 million price tag, and the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly awarded a $17.4 million construction contract to Watterson Construction in April.

Fairbanks North Star Borough Mayor Grier Hopkins gave remarks at the event. Other participants in the groundbreaking included Assemblymembers Nick LaJIness, Patrick Roach, David Guttenberg, and Scott Crass, as well as Ronnie Rosenberg, a long-time volunteer and Animal Control commissioner. Iris, a 6-year-old, 100-pound retriever mix that has been at the shelter since May after being found as a stray, dug the first hole at the ceremony.

Borough engineers initially estimated the project cost at $29.25 million. The $33 million price tag includes expenses for scoping, design, and the purchase of the new site, which occurred in 2022. The new facility is expected to be completed in 2028.

Kimberly Imbert, the Animal Shelter operations supervisor, said, "It's exciting to see this project move from planning to construction. I've had the opportunity to be involved from the beginning, and it's incredibly rewarding to see a vision for our community's animal shelter become a reality." Mayor Hopkins said in a Tuesday statement, "Today marks the beginning of an important investment in animal care for our community. The new facility will provide a modern space for animal care and adoption services for years to come."

The current shelter, located at Davis and Peger streets, was identified in a 2016 needs assessment as being at the end of its operational lifespan. The new animal shelter will be a single-story, 22,232-square-foot facility. It will feature larger dog kennels with central drop-down doors, expanded cat capacity, and dedicated isolation rooms for dogs, cats, and other animals. Additionally, the new facility will include a modernized surgery area and an area to house shelter staff and Animal Control officers.