Riverdale community bands together to upgrade park loved by family who died in Christmas fire

Ron Dennis can still remember looking nervously at his fellow ball-hockey coach Geoff Taber in the final minutes before the start of their kids' games.

With just two or three players present, their team's odds rarely looked great.

"We'd be nervously looking at each other, 'Where's our team? Where's our team?" Dennis recalled.

But every time, with just minutes to spare, tens of children would come walking over the crest of the hill in Withrow Park and down to the rink. And by game time, they'd have a full lineup.

On Sunday, Dennis was at Withrow Park again — this time without his longtime friend by his side.

From sorrow to an act of remembrance

Instead, he was there as part of a day-long tribute to Taber, his wife Jacquie Gardner, and their two boys Scott and Andrew, who died in a devastating fire last Christmas Eve when flames broke out at their cottage near Peterborough, Ont.

Police at the time called it a "Christmas tragedy."

Almost six months later, their absence has left a hole in the hearts of many in their Riverdale community.

"We've really missed them," said Dennis. "We were very close, me personally with Geoff. But our two youngest sons, Andrew Taber and my son Evan, both became best friends. So it was a remarkable relationship that we had, our entire family."

But Sunday, said Dennis, was a chance to transform that tremendous grief and sorrow into an act of remembrance.

Hundreds gathered at Withrow Park for a day of activities and games to fundraise for the Taber Family Foundation's goal of $100,000, with proceeds going toward the addition of hillside seating at the park's rink and an arena scoreboard.

'A location the Tabers loved'

"Withrow Park was the perfect choice for us," Dennis said, speaking from the place where he and his friend of 30 years coached together less than a year ago.

"It was a location the Tabers loved," he said. Both boys played in the league and the family sponsored teams for many years.

Toronto-Danforth Coun. Paula Fletcher said Sunday's event represented what she called "the true spirit of Riverdale" and was tribute to the much-loved family.

Dennis agreed.

"They were the most generous family that I knew and really [cared] for people in the community. They were involved in virtually every activity… helping many, many individuals"

And with the additions to Withrow Park made possible in their name, the hope is that legacy will continue.