Joined at The Hipp

Celebrating a century of The Hippodrome, where generations of White Bear Lake skaters took their first strides on ice 

By: Jessi Pierce

There’s a distinct smell when you walk into the Hippodrome Ice Arena in White Bear Lake.

It’s not a bad smell necessarily, as any player, parent, coach or even Zamboni driver could attest. But it’s unambiguous and familiar.

“It’s one that just lets you know you’re at ‘The Hipp,’” said Ryan Carter, White Bear Lake alum turned 10-year pro and Stanley Cup champion, now an analyst for the Minnesota Wild on FanDuel Sports. “It’s almost like nostalgia a little bit. Just one of those things where you walk in and all the memories are still there—everything.

“It’s a pretty special place.”

The Hipp Turns 100

It’s been 100 years of special for The Hipp.

Carter, like so many before and after him, took some of his first strides at the Hippodrome, located just a few blocks from the hustle and bustle of downtown and less than one mile from the newly renovated White Bear Lake High School.

“It’s where I put on the White Bear Lake jersey for the first time,” Carter said. “It started with me pushing a chair around the ice in the learn-to-skate program. There was no glass, just chicken wire, and it wasn’t climate-controlled—essentially just a rink put inside a building with no refrigeration system—so it was always so cold.

“But after a few shifts, the tiny scoreboard and buzzer would go off, and you would forget you were ever that cold at all.”

Fun fact: A portion of the 1978 skating drama Ice Castles was filmed at White Bear Lake’s Hippodrome. 

Chill Out

The chill is by design. A seasonal facility, the Hippodrome has roughly operated on an October through March calendar since opening its doors in 1926, then a part of the Ramsey County Fairgrounds.

A non-complex facility, the single sheet measures 180 feet by 66 feet—perfect for public open skates, learn-to-skate programs, and mite practices, scrimmages and games.

In its origins, the floor at the Hippodrome was dirt—which Carter said left noticeable dark spots on the ice each season—until 1991, when artificial ice was added on top of a sand base. The floor eventually became concrete in 2011.

Three years later came more upgrades with the addition of the Zamboni garage—something previously not needed on the dirt foundation, when teams would have to shovel after games and practices.

The new millennium brought various interior renovations, including the replacement of chicken wire with glass and upgrades to boards and benches.

Classic Charm

While the renovations pushed the Hippodrome toward a more current facility, plenty of history still remains.

There’s still an absence of locker rooms, where players either arrive fully ready or put on their pads and gear in the large open lobby.

And there’s the ceiling — an aesthetic that is key to every good barn.

“It’s still the original wood ceiling with the block walls on the outside,” said Jon Anderson, another White Bear Lake alum who found a home as rink manager of the Hippodrome out of college. “We’ve had people who wanted to insulate it, but I put up a fight because I didn’t want to lose that. It’s what gives it that look and feel of one of the classics.”

Anderson, who also played hockey for the University of Minnesota from 1986–90, officially retired as general manager of the Hippodrome last summer—kind of.

“It has a way of always bringing me back in,” he said with a laugh. “It’s just such a staple in this community for anyone who has ever put on a pair of skates in White Bear.”

Roll with It: During the offseason, the Hipp hosts roller hockey as a fun and effective training opportunity for White Bear Lake players. This marks the 10th year of roller hockey at the Hippodrome. 

$2 Public Skates

The affordability of skating at the Hippodrome is also what keeps it a marker for families dabbling in hockey. The White Bear Lake Youth Hockey Association and men’s adult leagues rent it frequently in-season, but the weekend public skates have not lost their charm.

Just two bucks will get you into one of the two offered sessions—either Saturday night or Sunday afternoon—both usually under strobe lights.

And if you forget your $2, well, that’s all right, too.

“Two dollars isn’t going to make or break us, so if you don’t have the money but want to skate around, we’ll usually let it slide,” Anderson said. “We just try to keep it as affordable as we can so everybody can enjoy it—all abilities and all interests. We just want to keep it a place kids in the community can come hang out.”

White Bear Lake residents believe the Hipp will be a community hub for the next 100 years.

“It’s old, and it’s got its smells and everything else, but this community is so fortunate to have had this for so long,” Anderson said. “Is there anything more Minnesotan than the Hipp?”