Letter: Red Trains don’t belong on Aviles Street

Dan Holiday
St. Augustine, FL

Dear Historic City News editor:

I am the owner of the Hamblen-Holiday Building at 11 Aviles Street.

I collected 107 signatures on a petition a month ago to keep the loading zone at the Historical Society Library at two spaces. Landowners, business owners and residents alike signed the petition. My mistake was thinking that was enough.

Between five and seven business owners, some that have been here less than three months, took it upon themselves to represent the property owners, business owners, and residents of Aviles Street.

They went to the city, behind our backs, to have the loading zone removed. They did this mainly using emails and private conversations with the city. By the time I was made aware of this it was a done deal.

The Red Trains have already damaged my property. The trains took out an 8-foot support beam and never had the courtesy to stop. They also destroyed an antique light fixture — totally hit-and-run. They are too big for Aviles Street. It is a very narrow 16th century street.

Old Town Trolley stops at the north end of Aviles Street, but will not attempt to drive down because of the street size. My thanks to them.

No one from the city contacted any of the residents of the 10 apartments in my building to see how they would be hurt if the city removed the loading zone before they actually removed it. Completely unprofessional management.