‘Nothing, nothing, nothing’: Little Lake project remains stalled

Is the Landing at Little Lake development still in freefall?

Construction has not started on the decade-old northeast Barrie seniors and residential project, and there are no signs it will be built anytime soon.

“I’m not doing anything,” said Fabio Testa, 61, of Acton, Ont., who put down $60,000 in 2018 for an apartment that cost more than $300,000.

“I go there almost every two weeks, I go there. Nothing, nothing, nothing. Meanwhile, they have kept all our deposits all these years,” he added.

Testa says he’s entitled to a certain percentage back, so for $60,000 down in 2018 he’d get $67,000 now.

Two buildings are long-planned — a seven-story, 137-unit (56 one-bedroom and 81 two-bedroom) condominium project and a four-story, 141-unit managed retirement home.

The Little Lake Drive project will also include an exercise center, indoor pool, spa (with a nail and hair salon), theater, pub, library, seating areas and access to the lake and surrounding natural area.

But no shovels appear to have moved dirt on the Landing at Little Lake, and the property remains fenced off, overgrown.

A representative for Landing at Little Lake was unable to respond to questions and/or comment by deadline Barrie Today, an affiliate of Bradford Today and InnisfilToday.

Testa said he has received mixed messages from the Landing Development Group since he was told last September that if the project could not be refinanced by the end of the year, it would have to be canceled.

A March 11, 2024 message from the Landing Team tells a different story.

It says: “Since our last update, we have been in discussions with lending institutions to re-secure alternative construction finance. So far, the process has been very complex given the timing of market conditions as well as the unique nature of our project. Having said that, we have had good indications from our potential lender and progress is being made.”

“They keep coming up with the same lines over and over,” Testa said. “I ended up emailing them saying, ‘What’s going on? I want an update’.

“So they basically gave me the whole story that we’re still looking at funding and all that crap. So basically nothing happens.”

And Testa said he fears more is happening with the project.

“It’s been over five years now,” he said. “They sold us the place for $300,000 and change. Why would they build for $300,000 and change when they could come back, give us all the deposits back and they could come back and say OK, they’re (price) up to $850,000.”

The message from the Landing team ends with: “We will continue to work to complete the project and keep the lines of communication open. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.”

Council’s application and approval for an official plan change for 10 and 20 Little Lake Dr. from general commercial and residential to residential and environmental protection (EP) dates back to early 2015.

So is the rezoning, at 10 Little Lake Dr., from residential first density to residential first density apartment with special provisions and EP, and at 20 Little Lake Dr., from residential first density to residential first density apartment with special provisions and EP.

The development’s site plan, for 10 and 20 Little Lake Dr., was received by the city in May 2019 and approved more than two years later in June 2021.

The City of Barrie’s development projects website says Landing at Little Lake is fully approved.

A message to future residents in late December 2021 from the Landing Development Group said it expects to break ground on the project in early spring 2022, sooner if possible.

All new homes built in this province come with a builder’s warranty under the Ontario New Home Warranty Plan Act, which includes deposit protection.

Tarion, a not-for-profit consumer protection organization established by the Ontario government, makes sure new homebuyers get the coverage they’re entitled to under their builder’s warranty. If a project and associated purchase contracts are canceled and the buyer’s deposits are not refunded by the seller, a buyer may file a deposit protection claim with Tarion.