New Westminster Bruins
Arena Name: Whatcom County Sports Arena
Capacity: Unknown
Built: 1972
Last Game: 1981
Closed: 1996
Address: 1803 W Bakerview Rd, Bellingham, WA, 98226
Ice Surface Size: Regulation
Whatcom County Sports Arena
What Was the Arena Like?
In February 1981, a municipal strike in New Westminster evicted the Bruins from their normal home of Queen's Park Arena. With few other options apparently available in the Vancouver area, the team moved south of the border and played two games at the arena in Bellingham, Washington. Contemporary reports indicate that the facilities were very poor and the building was frigidly cold, so fed-up GM Tracy Pratt decided to move what was supposed to be the final game there to his hometown of Powell River instead.
What's the Arena Used For Today?
Whatcom County Sports Arena, which was also known as the Bellingham Ice Arena, opened on December 30, 1972 and closed in March 1996 when the new Bellingham Sportsplex opened. The building still stands, but it has been converted to a factory for the Woodstone Corporation, a company that manufactures commercial pizza ovens and wood stoves. I drove right by the former arena in 2022 on my way to see the Seattle Thunderbirds and didn't know to stop, unfortunately, but at least the building likely isn't going anywhere.
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Last Revised: June 15, 2025