A four-year journey has wrapped up as Clearwater County and Wild Rose School Division (WRSD) have reached a renewed Joint-Use and Planning Agreement (JUPA).

The process began in March 2022 and will guide planning for shared spaces such as gymnasiums, sports fields, outdoor rinks and gathering areas near Charlotte Small Elementary, David Thompson High School and Caroline School.

The agreement covers a wide range of topics, including future school site planning, municipal reserve transfers, site servicing, dispute resolution, and public use of facilities.

Officials say the goal is to keep residents active while maximizing the use of recreation amenities and reducing duplication and overlap. Shared facilities include ball diamonds, soccer pitches, walking paths, parks, fire halls and skating rinks in Leslieville, Condor and Caroline.

The plan comes as several projects are being considered near local schools, including field upgrades in Caroline and a proposed rail trail in Condor. It also follows $97,000 in upgrades to the Condor Recreation Area in 2025, which officials call an example of the agreement in action.

The agreement also outlines rules for the disposal of former school sites, following the transfer of the old David Thompson High School property to the provincial government in 2025.

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The new agreement follows a 2025 survey launched by Clearwater County which drew dozens of responses. Officials say survey results generally showed support for collaboration between the two organizations and a desire to have high quality recreation amenities. It also highlighted the  importance of meeting the expected standard for maintenance.

Ahead of the agreement, the county and WRSD met on April 21.

Reeve Jordon Northcott said the meeting with WRSD was very good, noting that a considerable amount of time has gone into crafting the agreement.

In accordance with the Municipal Government Act (MGA), the deadline to have JUPA’s completed was June 2026.