Skip to main content

Estimated cost of rebuilding Alberta town's only ice rinks in the millions

Damage is shown following an explosion at an ice rink in the town of Taber, Alta. in this Dec. 2025 handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Town of Taber (Mandatory Credit)
Damage is shown following an explosion at an ice rink in the town of Taber, Alta. in this Dec. 2025 handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Town of Taber (Mandatory Credit)

A hockey-loving town in southern Alberta that lost its only two ice rinks in a Zamboni explosion says it may cost about $11 million to rebuild the facility.

Derrin Thibault, Taber’s chief administrative officer, says council recently agreed to spend about $6.2 million to rebuild its large ice rink after the December blast shattered the walls around it.

But the town still needs about $5 million more to fix the second ice rink and remaining parts of the community centre.

Thibault says the town has also requested $8 million from the federal government for upgrades.

The Town of Taber has said it was a leaky Zamboni that set off the blast.

The leak was ignited by a nearby electric heater, creating a fireball that shattered glass around the ice rinks, damaged the roof, toppled concrete walls and bricks, and hit gas lines.

Now playing on: