Phase one of the Summit Circle CAVO development in Yellowknife's Niven subdivision was delayed this summer. Phase one clients are expected to move in this December. - Walter Strong/NNSL photo

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Phase one of the Niven Lake subdivision CAVO development has taken shape, but it came much too late for one would-be resident.

Keith Stuckless made his $16,700 deposit in September 2013 for a spot in phase three of the Summit Circle Developments project.

At the time, he said he was told he would be moving in before the end of this summer.

"We were told they would be completed late July or early August 2014," Stuckless told Yellowknifer.

"By the middle of May, the weather was beautiful and we didn't see any development going on."

Stuckless raised his concern with CAVO management and was told by representative Todd Farrer that he could transfer to phase one as some spots had opened up.

Stuckless and his wife made the transfer to phase one from phase three on the assurance that phase one would be ready for owner possession late July or early August. At that point, Stuckless said he and his wife moved on the sale of their home.

"My wife and I sold our home because we were told we would have no problem getting into stage one this summer," Stuckless said.

"We sold our place at the end of June with an Aug. 31 closing date."

But delays this summer in delivering the prefabricated units from Idaho meant the construction site sat relatively inactive for most of the summer.

In early August, after bringing the matter up with Summit Circle founding president Wayne Guy, Stuckless said he was ultimately informed by Farrer that his earliest possible possession date would not be until November.

"I said, well sweet god I can't wait that long," Stuckless said.

He said he faced an approximately $7,000 penalty if he and his wife failed to port their mortgage to a new home within a limited time frame.

Waiting for CAVO to be complete would have put him outside that window, meaning a $7,000 loss.

"For some people, that may not be a lot of money, but for us it is a lot," Stuckless said.

"We decided to get our money back."

Stuckless said his deposit was returned and he and his wife have since found another home.

Disappointed with his CAVO experience, Stuckless said he is concerned other, less vocal, CAVO clients may be facing similar difficulties.

"I just want people to know my story because there are probably a lot of people in my situation who didn't speak up," Stuckless said.

"We were told, you'll definitely be in stage one this summer. I feel bad for the people who have been paying rent all this time waiting."

It was previously reported by Yellowknifer that 28 units of the CAVO development were to be in place and ready for owner occupancy this summer.

Delays this summer were blamed on extended highway closures and a GNWT road ban on over-sized loads in effect, even during periods when the highways were reopened.

On the weekend of Sept. 6, the phase units arrived and were assembled that weekend. Crews continue to work on readying units for move in.

When reached for comment, Guy referred comment to co-founder and VP of marketing Jon Jaque.

Jaque reiterated that delays this summer were due to highway closures, but he sympathized with Stuckless's position.

"He (was) stuck between a rock and a hard place because wild fires had delayed something he was hoping would be resolved," Jaques said.

"We've got a premium product, if he could have held on to it he would have been ahead of the game."

"There might be a couple of people who are frustrated because of delays, I get it," Jaque added.

"As things stand right now, it's looking really great and there will be a lot of happy people moving into a premium place."

Jaque said phase one clients are being contacted by the company to arrange possession dates on an individual basis.

Generally, Jaque said phase one clients should be moved in over December.

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