Sydney ball field set to become $10M seniors housing complex

A baseball field in Sydney's Ashby neighbourhood is going to become home to a $10-million seniors housing project.

The non-profit Southend Community Development Association has bought the property from the Cape Breton Regional Municipality for $1.Regional council approved the deal Tuesday.

The association will move the ball field, at its own cost, to an adjacent location on the remediated former coke ovens siteon Vulcan Avenue.

Development association executive director Rick Fraser described to councilan ambitiousplan, which includes nine fourplexes and a three-storey unit facing Welton Street.

"The three-storey unit will have four retail spaces on the main floor that are accessible from the street front," he said. "Businesses that are associated with seniors, like maybe a pharmacy, a doctor's office, and thentwo floors above that will be more residential units."

Fraser said rents will run from$750 to $1,000 a month, including heat and lights.

The group is now working on the financing and is aiming to begin construction in the fall.

Cape Breton Regional Coun. Ray Paruch grew up in a house across the street from the ball field.He calls itan exciting project.

"It's not only my neighbourhood. This is a major leg up for seniorshousing," he said. "It's centrally located. It'll be brand new construction. It's just a win/win for everybody and it's a big major win for the CBRM."

Fraser told council the project will take about four years to complete.