Some Albertans who bought lots at a now-stalled RV resort development are demanding a refund.
Raylene Fowlie told Global News she’s distraught that she paid $40,000 for a site at Paradise Shores that she can’t even camp on.
“I started to cry because I cannot deal with the amount of stress that this is causing us,” Fowlie said.
The RV park, located near the community of Stettler, has been plagued by controversy and problems.
The developer, Paradise Shores RV Resort, originally applied to Stettler County for a 1,000-lot development. The county agreed to 750 sites.
But a number of nearby municipalities and area residents very opposed to the development appealed that number and a Subdivision and Development Appeal Board further cut the lots down to 168.
In the meantime, the County of Stettler has issued a stop-work order because it said some of the conditions set out in the SDAB decision have not been met by the developer — a decision Paradise Shores is taking issue with, saying there was never a development permit issued.
“I have asked several times: ‘I would like my money back please,'” Fowlie said.
Paradise Shores told Global News there is no set refund policy.
A legal representative for the development further said: “Each of the leaseholders has entered into a contract with the developer and we are processing the requests on an individual basis as they come in.
“However, none of the leases require the developer to provide a refund at this time. Each of the leaseholders was aware that permitting was not in place at the time they entered into their lease and all of the leases state that the terms of the lease are subject to permitting.”
Fowlie claims she wasn’t aware of that stipulation and wouldn’t have bought in if she had been.
“We didn’t do any research and we should have,” she said.
Fowlie said she feels mislead and angry the developer would take her money knowing there were so many things still up in the air, including development permits.
Global News asked Paradise Shores officials why it would have taken the money before permits were secured, and were told it is not uncommon for developers to require payment prior to a project’s completion.
The lawyer also said the developer is working to resolve the permitting issues and hopes leaseholders will still be able to camp at Paradise Shores this summer.
Fowlie said she isn’t as hopeful, adding she not only worries she won’t be able to camp, but she may never see her $40,000 again.
Comments