The Town of Taber has confirmed that community donations and event revenue from this spring’s PlayOn! tournament raised $145,444.24 to help rebuild the Taber Community Centre’s ice rinks, heavily damaged in a December 2025 explosion.
The Town of Taber announced the fundraising total on July 24, 2026. The money came from a local PlayOn! tournament held on March 27 and 28, 2026. Officials say every dollar will go directly toward the arena and rink rebuild.
“Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, $145,444.24 was raised through donations and event revenue in support of the Arena/Rink Rebuild,” the town said in a statement. “These funds remain fully dedicated to the Arena/Rink Rebuild.”
The December 17, 2025 explosion happened when a propane leak from a Zamboni ice resurfacer ignited, causing a fireball that damaged both ice surfaces, the curling rink, and other parts of the facility. No one was hurt, even though about a dozen people were inside at the time.
The community’s main arena has been closed ever since, forcing roughly 1,000 local hockey players, curlers, and figure skaters to find ice time elsewhere. Some young players have been travelling more than 100 kilometres just to practise.
The arena recovery is moving forward. The Large Ice surface is set to reopen on July 31, 2026, with a community celebration that will include a Wall of Fame induction ceremony. That milestone comes after a challenging seven months for the town.
In April, Taber was named the 2026 Kraft Hockeyville champion, winning $250,000 for arena repairs and the right to host an NHL pre-season game. Still, the total rebuild estimate sits around $11 million. Council has approved about $6 million for the Large Ice work, and an $8-million federal funding request has been submitted to help cover the rest.
