With an anticipated population of 36,000 residents upon completion, Coopertown neighborhood in Regina is poised to become one of Saskatchewan’s largest communities. Dream Development has outlined plans to construct homes in phases on the expansive 700-hectare (1,800-acre) site in the city’s northwest over the next three decades. The initial phase will consist of 220 residential lots, with a commercial center to follow within two years.
Notably absent from the current plans is the inclusion of a new school. According to Jason Carlston, Dream Development’s vice president of land development, while several schools will be integrated into Coopertown eventually, the initial phase will not feature one as it is deemed unnecessary based on projections from the province and school boards.
Plainsview Elementary School, located adjacent to the forthcoming neighborhood, has helped alleviate educational demands in the northwest region. The school, a joint-use facility managed under a public-private partnership between Regina Public Schools and Regina Catholic Schools, is already operating beyond its intended capacity.
St. Nicholas School, part of the same educational facility, currently hosts 503 students and anticipates continued growth. While concerns have been raised about potential strain on resources, both school divisions assert that additional portable classrooms can be deployed to accommodate more students. However, any expansion plans involving portable classrooms would need approval from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education.
Dream Development’s President, Michael Cooper, highlighted Coopertown as the company’s most extensive community project to date. Despite facing challenges with overcrowding at previous developments like Harbour Landing, Carlston expressed confidence that Coopertown would not encounter the same immediate population pressures upon completion.
