fairbanks just rebooted downtown

And it's all free for the summer.

Six chalets are going in where the old Polaris Building used to sit. Rotating vendors will set up shop for retail and a stage takes over the middle of the lot for live music. Festival Fairbanks is running the entertainment side and the whole setup is open to the public.

Around the corner on Lacey Street between 1st and 2nd, the city is dropping in a brand new skate park. There's also a new dock going into the Chena River at Golden Heart Plaza so folks can pull a kayak or paddleboard right up to downtown. That dock alone has been on the wishlist for years.

There's overnight security on the chalet area and a foot officer working downtown during the day. Volunteer ambassadors will be roaming around helping tourists, picking up litter, and keeping an eye on things. A peer outreach team is also being added to connect unhoused folks to resources.

For Fairbanks, North Pole, and Interior families looking for free summer plans, downtown just turned into one of the best free spots in town.