Round-Up for Rehab
When: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16; lunch at 11 a.m., provided by The Shed; sale begins at 1 p.m.
Where: Abilene Livestock Auction, 3265 N. Judge Ely Blvd.
Details: This premier auction brings together ranchers, buyers, and community members to support the life-changing services provided by West Texas Rehabilitation Center. Come and visit with Western music legend Red Steagall and acclaimed Western Swing artist Jake Hooker. Held at Abilene Livestock Auction, the sale features top-quality cattle donated by generous regional producers. Lunch will be served at 11 a.m., provided by The Shed, and the auction will begin at 1 p.m.

By Loretta Fulton

Go ahead and circle Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, on the calendar. That’s the day groundbreaking will be held for a sparkling new West Texas Rehabilitation Center complex and the beginning of a major development near Sam’s Club.

The new Rehab Center, with an anticipated completion date of 2028, will cover 16 acres of the 34 acres that the center purchased. The remaining 18 acres will be sold to a developer who shares the vision of the center, said Steve Martin, president and chief executive officer of the Rehab Center. 

Architect’s rendering of new West Texas Rehabilitation Center facility.

Someday, expect to see a hotel, restaurants, and retail shops on that 18 acres. When completed, the new Rehab Center will contain 133,000 square feet of space, compared to the 80,000 square feet in the current center on Hartford Street. And, the new site allows for a 40,000 square-foot expansion. 

“That should last us a lifetime,” Martin said. 

Fundraising for the $85 million project started in 2023, and 92 percent of that amount has been raised. Among the highlights of the new complex will be a larger aquatic therapy facility and a larger horticulture therapy area, including a greenhouse. 

Interior views of new Rehab Center building

The center will feature a community meeting room and a walking track/nature trail around the perimeter that will be open to neighbors. The Rehab Center has experienced record numbers of patients each of the last six years, except for 2020, the year of COVID, making the new complex a necessity.

“We’ve just outgrown our current facility,” Martin said.

Treatment room at new Rehab Center facility

The Rehab Center originated in 1953 with 17 patients at Bonham Elementary School. The Hartford Street location opened in 1955 and was remodeled in 2012 to allow for improved services for audiology, orthotics, and prosthetics patients. The Rehab Center has grown to serve more than 850 patients and clients each day.

Once ground is broken at the site of the new complex, construction is estimated to take 18-24 months, with a completion date in February 2028.

Spacious sitting area at new Rehab Center

“It’ll fly by,” Martin predicted. 

Loretta Fulton is creator and editor of Spirit of Abilene