SYDNEY — A glimpse into the future of Sydney's downtown core was unveiled on Friday when the provincial government unveiled conceptual drawings of the new Marconi Campus.
Construction of the Nova Scotia Community College facility that will feature a pedway crossing above the Esplanade is set to begin this month.
“It’s a very exciting time for our community to be able to have a new facility with state-of-the-art learning spaces, community spaces and connections to the community that can be enhanced and improved based on our new location,” said Marconi Campus principal Fred Tilley.
“A little bit of work has taken place down on the site, there’s been some environmental work going on, there’s been some demos of buildings in the general area … we’re right on schedule.”
Last month, NSCC issued a tender to start the construction phase of the project. The tender is expected to be awarded within two weeks. Meanwhile, other construction tenders will be issued over the next 18 months.
Tilley wasn’t surprised with the timing of construction as the goal is to have the new facility open for September 2024.
“In order to hit that timing, we need to get started right away,” said Tilley. “I think it’s going to bring that modern approach, a brand-new beautiful building and landscaping that will fit in quite nicely with the lay of the land and the existing surroundings.”
In August 2019, the province announced the location for the new facility, which will encompass the waterside of the Esplanade in Sydney from Falmouth to Crescent streets.
The relocation also involved the purchase of multiple properties including rental spaces, a private home, a gas station, municipally-owned waterfront, and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality’s Sydney fire station.
The cost for detailed design and development, including site preparation and land acquisition, was about $18 million. It will be built in accordance with accessibility standards and guidelines following the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification Program.
Kathleen Yurchesyn, chief executive officer for the Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce, believes the new addition to the downtown core demonstrates confidence within the community.
“I think it’s absolutely what our community needs right now,” said Yurchesyn. “I think it’s going to be a pivotal piece of the future of downtown revitalization and the economic core that is downtown Sydney.”
A number of projects, including the Marconi Campus, are expected to take place in the downtown Sydney area in the coming years, including the revitalization of Charlotte Street as well as various private investment.
“I think public investment means private investment and it demonstrates that there’s things happening here, and that investment is happening in a public sense,” said Yurchesyn.
“I think this project shows us what the future is going to be for Cape Breton Island and for downtown Sydney and I think it’s incredible.”
The vision for the new facility is to create a campus with a dynamic learning environment.
“We’re looking at this facility as a destination campus,” said Tilley. “We’re looking at what’s needed by industry and attracting both students locally and from across the province.”
Tilley confirmed new programs will be part of the new facility, however, he couldn’t confirm what those programs would be at this time.
“We haven’t nailed down our full programming yet for this new facility, but there will definitely be some new, enhanced and high-end programming that our community will definitely be able to look forward to.”
The province also announced, working with CBRM, the playground adjacent to the boardwalk near the fire station will be removed.
A section of the boardwalk south of Falmouth Street will be closed to the public starting at the end of July for the duration of the project. A pedestrian walkway is expected to be maintained on Falmouth Street with signs to redirect pedestrians to the sidewalk on Esplanade.
Depending on the year, Marconi Campus has between 1,150 to 1,200 students. With the new facility, the school hopes to have around 1,400 students to begin.
“This project will contribute to our skilled workforce and have long-term economic benefits for the region,” said Derek Mombourquette, minister of energy and mines on behalf of Labi Kousoulis, minister of labour and advanced education, in a press release.
Although the official start date this month was not confirmed, Tilley is looking forward to the future of NSCC in the community.
“When you look at the construction jobs and the spinoffs that are going to hit our part of the island over the next number of years to get our workforce back, it’s super exciting,” said Tilley. “I think this is a real beacon of hope for Cape Breton Island.”
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