Sudbury crane operator enjoys his time in the sky building 17-storey housing project

Mark Edwards has the best view of Sudbury working on a tower crane 75 metres in the air.

The bright yellow crane is being used to build the Manitou project, a 17-storey housing complex on a rock hill near the downtown.

"Heights don't bother me," said the 50-year-old, who has been a crane operator on projects across Ontario for over 20 years.

He says the views are spectacular and will often take photos of the landscapes or cityscapes around him.

"It suits me," Edwards said.  "When I started operating for the first time, I took to it like fish in water. It was just natural."

But it is solitary work.

After taking 20 minutes to climb the ladder to the top of the crane, Edwards spends his entire shift in the air-conditioned cab.

That includes eating his lunch and taking bathroom breaks, during which he uses containers to do his business, and discards at the end of the day.

"You have to be very comfortable by yourself," said Edwards. "You're all alone, there's nobody there. So if you're not comfortable with yourself, it's not suited for you."

On some of the taller tower cranes, the wind will make the structure sway. "It's almost like having your sea legs. You have to get used to the movement."

LISTEN | An interview with Sudbury crane operator Mark Edwards: 

Morning North9:48An interview with Sudbury crane operator Mark Edwards

We talk to Mark Edwards, the crane operator of a 17-storey housing project on the top of a rock hill with the best view of Sudbury.

Tower cranes hoist anything that needs to be moved: steel, wood, brick, sea containers.

With a bird's-eye view of the construction site, Edwards says part of his job is to ensure everything is done safely on the ground.

"If I see something that needs to be addressed, I call my superiors."

Sometimes, he sees birds looking for a new home.

"I've torn apart a lot of birds nests," he said. "Up north in Kapuskasing a pair of bald eagles made a nest on the crane. I had to destroy it."

Edwards even had a raccoon up in his turntable. He says when they get hungry, the raccoons make their own way back down.

That's one of the challenging parts of the job: the climb.

Edwards has had a couple of knee injuries that required surgery, so the climb up is getting harder and harder.

"That's my thing every morning," he said. "Just make it up. I'm good once I'm up there."