New Transcona school to welcome 800 students

Transcona’s new elementary school will have a bigger footprint than originally planned.

The kindergarten-to-Grade 8 building being built in Devonshire Park will have capacity for 800 students instead of 675, Education Minister Tracy Schmidt announced Tuesday.

Schmidt participated in an afternoon photo-op at 35 Private Davy Dr. — the future site of a 90,000-sq. ft. school — alongside officials from the River East Transcona School Division.

“This is the first new school our division has built since 1990 — yes, a clear reflection of the incredible growth we are seeing in our community,” school board chair Colleen Carswell told a news conference.

The English-language school, which will be equipped with an integrated, 134-space child-care centre, is anticipated to open in September 2027.

The other new schools are being built in Winnipeg’s Prairie Pointe community, the Meadowlands development in West St. Paul and Brandon.