The Westlock Meditation Centre (Tu Vien Tay Thien) is expected to reopen in June after a tragic incident last summer that claimed the life of one person and injured dozens of others.
The collapse of a tent structure at the centre, located about 20 km south of Westlock, occurred on July 31, 2024, during an 11-day meditation retreat. At the time, hundreds of retreat participants were present when severe weather caused the tent to give way. A 40-year-old woman from Minnesota lost her life, and several others were seriously injured in the incident.
Emergency responders from surrounding communities, including Westlock, Busby, and Pickardville, responded to the scene shortly after the Westlock RCMP received a call following the storm.
In a phone interview with Town and Country Today on Jan. 23, a spokesperson for the meditation centre, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed that while the board of directors has yet to make an official decision, they anticipate a reopening in June.
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) personnel are investigating the cause of the incident. In a Jan. 23 email, a spokesperson from OHS said they continue to investigate the tent collapse incident that fatally injured one person and seriously injured several others.
"As this is an active OHS investigation, no further information will be provided at this time," said the spokesperson. "We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the deceased individual from this tragic incident."
