Parking problems in downtown Sydney ahead of new NSCC campus opening

Many signs in downtown Sydney, N.S., tell people where they can’t park.

It’s particularly difficult to find an empty parking spot on Charlotte Street, a major road in the city.

Most lots in the downtown core are now marked off as “private parking.”

“I have no parking, absolutely no parking,” said café owner Louann MacDonald.

The inconvenience has already cost her some customers.

“You lose them,” she said. “I had about 10-to-15 customers this month that came in. I told them they can’t park where they were, and they left. They didn’t come back.”

Next month, competition for parking spots in downtown Sydney may intensify when the new Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Sydney Waterfront Campus opens its doors to an expected 1,100-plus students and staff.

“We do know that there will be an increased need for parking in downtown Sydney come September,” said Jenna MacQueen with Cape Breton Regional Municipality Communications.

There will be some parking on site at the new campus and the NSCC is also encouraging students to carpool and use public transportation, noting there will be a transit stop in front of the main entrance.

“We continue to develop parking options for the new campus,” said an email statement from NSCC to CTV News Atlantic. “There will be 250 spaces at Centre 200 for Sydney Waterfront Campus student parking with a shuttle service transporting students between the parking lot and site. Details will be updated on our website when confirmed.”

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality said it is working with the NSCC on the parking issue.

“We’re very hopeful that the 250 spots behind Centre 200 will be a great start, and then we’ll assess the need going on after that,” MacQueen said.

The first day of classes for new students at the Sydney Waterfront Campus is Sept. 3. Returning students arrive Sept. 4.

While parking may still be an issue, business owners like MacDonald said they are looking forward to the expected increase in foot traffic.

“We just have to wait until it’s all over to see what’s going to happen,” she said.

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