BLAINE – A sculpture exhibit in Peace Arch Park will be displayed through the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C., after all.

The Peace Arch Park’s 12th Annual International Sculpture Exhibition had previously been denied an extension by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, which based its decision on a new policy that allows the commission to limit a display’s length of time on state park property.

The sculpture exhibit, which normally runs from April to mid-October, already was being dismantled when news broke of the decision.

The commission has not changed its policy but instead is allowing the United States Canada Peace Anniversary Association to have a sponsor apply for a new display permit, said Eric Watilo, the commission’s Northwest region director.

The sponsor’s application will be treated as an entirely “brand new, separate request,” Watilo said, rather than an extension.

Two groups are willing to be sponsors for the new permit, said Christina Alexander, founder of the United States Canada Peace Anniversary Association. Those groups have not been named as officials are still deciding which one will be the permit holder.

The original request was denied based on a new policy about “public displays of political, religious or secular content” on state park property, Watilo said.

The commission developed the policy following a controversy about religious displays at the state capitol building last year, he said.

The sculpture exhibit once operated under a special activities permit but became subject to the new policy because it is considered secular content, Alexander said.

The sculpture exhibit features 15 sculptures from 14 American artists and one Canadian artist. The works include a life-size moose made of driftwood and a bronze sculpture of a boy and girl reaching for each other’s hands.

Alexander said she believes 14 of the 15 sculptures from the exhibit will go back on display by next week.

The exhibit will resume its regular six-month display next year. After this current exhibit is taken down in April, a new sculpture exhibit will be put on display that same month.