Local dignitaries gathered for the official funding presentation for the STAR facility, January 11, 2024. (Photo: Municipal District of Taber)

By David Opinko

Grant to help Taber group create arts & fitness centre

Jan 12, 2024 | 11:12 AM

TABER, AB – A non-profit organization in Taber is now one large step closer towards opening a new community facility.

The Society for Taber Arts & Recreation (STAR) has received a grant of $535,279 from the provincial Community Facility Enhancement Program Large Grant.

STAR Executive Director Joel Mills said this surge in funding has breathed new life into their initiative.

The group plans to convert the former Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 5319 54 Street into a centre that would include a performing arts theatre, a cinema, and a gym.

Mills said, “Our mission is to bring a performing arts venue to Taber that can be multi-used by schools, by our performing arts members in the Taber Players, but to also bring my performing art, which is boxing and sports.”

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As the former-church is located across from W.R. Myers High School, he hopes that it will see a lot of use from students.

There remains one glaring problem with those plans, however, as Mills explains that the building is not up to code and that major renovations need to take place.

“When we undertook it, we knew that building was going to pose some challenges, but we had no idea that it would be such a challenging venture, given the coding updates that were needed to the building,” said Mills.

He said STAR group applied for the grant to replace the HVAC system, which is the most expensive piece to overhaul. Mills added that they were only able to move ahead because of this grant.

The project is being carried out in multiple phases.

Phase one, which includes the gymnasium and fitness centre, is expected to be completed in February 2024. The second phase, involving the complete replacement of the HVAC system, should be done this spring or summer. The third will see the opening of the theatre, which could happen in early 2025.

More details on the STAR website.

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