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Ron and Dan Hayward of Aurora Auto Sales survey the roadwork that has interrupted their business.

New business hurt by construction

Alex Glancy
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 09/04) - A used car dealership opened in Old Town in June, but you might not have noticed.

That's because Aurora Auto Sales is beside the stretch of Franklin Avenue that has been torn up for construction.

"It's frustrating," says Dan Hayward, who runs the business with his son Ron.

About a week after the lot opened, construction began, and now access to the dealership is blocked to all but local traffic. Access is through the trailer park.

Dan admits that he should have checked into the possibility of construction on the notoriously uneven piece of road before he opened.

Although no one warned him when he applied for a business license, he admits the fault is his.

The issue is attracting business while the road is closed.

The signs posted around the construction site refer to local traffic only, and according to Ron, people have told him that they thought the dealership was closed while the road is under construction.

He adds that road workers directing drivers have sent potential customers away because they are not "local traffic," and that he has had to go and meet people elsewhere so they could follow him back to his business.

Dan and Ron say that city road workers should at least be aware of their business, and signs should not bar the route.

Ron adds that the city "should support local businesses, because that's what makes the city run."

Ron says that if they had known about the construction they would still have opened Aurora, but would have looked at other locations.

He estimates that the roadwork has reduced his sales "by five or six vehicles a month."

Still, the Haywards are optimistic about Aurora's future once the road is completed.

"It's going to be an excellent location," says Dan.

Until then, he plans to rely on his connections in the communities to move units, and plans to deal in used snowmobiles, RVs and motorbikes, as well as cars.