In a Closed Council meeting held June 25, Whistler Waldorf School Society (Waldorf) was given one year’s grace to find another location, after Council extended its lease to June 30, 2025. Council has since reconsidered this matter and will extend this lease through June 2026, to provide adequate time for alternative options to be explored.

Having an independent school operate out of Spruce Grove Park is, and always has been, a temporary arrangement that Waldorf knew and accepted. As such, Council wishes to provide a few points of clarity:

• Waldorf sits on land the municipality manages under a provincial Crown Grant for park and outdoor recreation purposes. The RMOW does not know whether the Province would entertain a change in the potential land uses designated under the Grant. The RMOW will seek some indication the Province could be amenable to this change within the coming months.
• Council has heard from citizens on both sides of this issue and remains open to input.
• The addition of another year of lease does not constitute a Council decision to enable Waldorf to stay permanently. While Council has extended the timeline, it is only an extension. This does not create certainty for the school on this site, and the Waldorf Board of Directors is aware of this risk.
• A planning process to determine the best possible use of Spruce Grove Park, and the full breadth of community benefits it could offer, is planned to occur within the next two years.