Groundbreaking ceremony for new Catholic school planned for May

By BRENDAN MILLER on April 9, 2025.

bmiller@medicinehatnews.com

The Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education is considering having the official groundbreaking and blessing ceremony for the new Holy Trinity Academy K-9 school on May 29 to coincide with Catholic Education Day.

The May 29 date, which will include an official ribbon cutting and turning of the sod portion, is still tentative as the division continues to align the availability of priests and dignitaries invited to attend.

The new K-9 school that will be built on the location of the current St. Francis Xavier school site, adjacent to Monsignor McCoy High School, is set to begin shortly as MHCBE is expected to sign a contract following the project’s tender phase this month.

The school will boost a 380-seat full theatre with additional seating for special needs, two full-sized gymnasiums and several dedicated classrooms for science, dance, woodworking and, art as well as a food lab with the ability to host a concessions stand during events in the schools theatre and gymnasium.

Likewise, education spaces within the school have been designed to accommodate large groups or learning activities to allow educators more rooms and flexible spaces for a variety of purposes that include multi-use rooms with walls that can fold up and open.

Holy Trinity Academy is designed in collaboration with Monsignor McCoy High School to expand and improve programming throughout MHCBE.

The Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education says design features modern wheelchair access, drop-down tables and braille along the wall, and is designed to be the most accessible school in Alberta.

Other features include painted lines on the floor and a coloured-coded map system so new students can easily find their way to classrooms. Division staff say the new outdoor playground is also being designed with accessibility in mind, allowing more students to play without barriers.

MHCBE expects it will be welcoming interim acceptance for new students in February 2027 and plans to have construction complete by August 2027.

Once Holy Trinity Academy opens staff and students from St. Francis Xavier, St. Michael’s and St. Mary’s will all be joined under one roof.

There is also a possibility construction on the site begins before the tentative date of the groundbreaking and blessing ceremony.

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