Hawks Ridge K–6 School Design Underway
Big news for families in the Big Lake area: design funding has been approved for a brand new K–6 school in Hawks Ridge, right here in northwest Edmonton.
If you’ve been waiting for one more reason to put down roots in Trumpeter by Big Lake, this is it. Alberta’s 2025 provincial budget has designated design funding for a new Kindergarten to Grade 6 school in the neighbouring Hawks Ridge community, and for the thousands of families already living (or planning to live) along the shores of Big Lake, that’s a milestone worth talking about.
What Does “Design Funding” Actually Mean?
It’s a fair question, and an important one. Design funding is the critical step that moves a school project from concept to construction-ready. It covers the full architectural design process and the preparation of construction tender documents (meaning everything needed to break ground). It’s a concrete commitment that puts a school on the path to becoming a real building, in a real community, serving real kids.
Further capital funding will still be needed to complete construction, but approval at the design stage signals strong provincial intent. This isn’t a “maybe someday”; it’s a “we’re doing this.”
The new K–6 Edmonton Public school in Hawks Ridge was among 14 Edmonton-area school projects to receive funding in the 2025 Alberta budget. The new school will be part of Edmonton Public Schools and, upon completion, is planned to accommodate up to 650 students in grades Kindergarten through 6.
Why This Matters for Trumpeter Families
At Trumpeter, we’ve always believed that a great neighbourhood is about more than the homes within it. It’s about the trails that connect you to nature. The wetlands that remind you to slow down. The community that grows alongside your family.
A school nearby is one of the most meaningful amenities a neighbourhood can have, and not just for the obvious reasons. Yes, shorter commutes for kids means more time for evening adventures along our trail system. Yes, a local school builds community bonds that stretch well beyond the classroom. But it also signals something bigger: that this corner of northwest Edmonton is growing into a fully realized, family-first community.
The Hawks Ridge school site is approximately a 4-minute drive or a 10-minute walk along community pathways from the Trumpeter showhomes. For families with young children, that kind of proximity means less time commuting and more time enjoying everything the Big Lake area has to offer.
The Big Lake Area Is Becoming Edmonton’s Family Community of Choice
Trumpeter by Big Lake was consciously planned from the start with families in mind. Sixty-seven acres of environmental reserve weave through the neighbourhood. Over 5 km of trails wind past constructed wetlands, native bioswales and the kind of wide-open natural space that’s increasingly rare in a growing city. Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park is practically at your doorstep, over 1,800 hectares of globally significant bird habitat and wetland, just beyond the community boundary.
Now, layer a new elementary school into that picture, and you have a northwest Edmonton corridor that offers something genuinely rare: a place where children can grow up with nature around them and quality education close by.
For families exploring new homes in northwest Edmonton, that combination is hard to beat.
Looking Ahead
Design funding approval is an exciting first step, and we’ll continue to share updates as this project moves forward. The full journey from design to construction takes time, but each milestone brings this school (and the community it will serve) closer to reality.
In the meantime, Trumpeter by Big Lake continues to grow. New showhomes, new stages and a community that never stops becoming more. If you’d like to learn more about life in Trumpeter, or explore available lots, we’d love to show you around.
Come walk the trails. Watch the swans. And imagine what’s next.