CBRM Regeneration Co-ordinator Bradley Murphy discusses housing in Downtown. Sydney is the biggest urban centre on Cape Breton Island. It acts as a crossroads for most if not all communities across the island. Though this is the case, there are not a lot of affordable housing opportunities for individuals who both live and work in the downtown. Consider the benefits of living in a downtown: Economic: Save money on gas, car bills, and mortgage, support local restaurants, shope, and café’s. Health: Walking everyday to access work and amenities keeps your body moving and heart active. Social and Environmental: Living in a downtown creates more opportunities to interact and socialize with others, as well as reduces your environmental footprint on the planet. SYDNEY WATERFRONT DISTRICT The district is loosely defined by the waterfront, George Street, Townsend Street and Dorchester Street. Within the boundary there are a total of 221 housing units, 81 of those units are not included in Vista Heights at the base of Prince Street (Vista Heights has a total of 140 units marketed for seniors.) The Sydney Waterfront district has approximately 230 000 square feet of vacant space in the buildings. We are also experiencing housing shortage. Put two and two together. Housing Shortage + Vacant Space= opportunity Jobs for Landlords, architects, contractors, carpenters, plumbers, craftspeople, and on and on. Surely we can come together as a community, hand in hand with building owners to convert some of these spaces into housing opportunities for youth, and families alike. This will help contribute to a vibrant and growing downtown core that will benefit the rest of the island, it is all translatable to the other communities as well.