St. Augustine Record letter by Norman Dean: "City's no fun anymore"

Letter: City's no fun anymore
City's no fun anymore
Posted: June 5, 2014 - 12:01am


By NORMAN DEAN
City’s no fun anymore

Editor: In regards to the editorial of May 30, “Tourists say: Play to your strengths,” Mr. Hastings right on.

We moved here over 30 years ago for the ambiance of St. Augustine. Now, the fun beach with small hotels and many “Mom and Pop” motels have gone to mega-hotels and the beach fun stopped. The river was a place for cruising sailors to tie up their boats and stay a year or so to repair their boats and enjoy the area. No more. It’s now big dollars, million-dollar boats along with the million-dollar homes.

We enjoyed St. George Street as it had fine shops, not a bunch of T-shirt and assorted junk stores. We had a good group of street entertainers. We enjoyed taking visiting friends to town. No more.

The city has given the horse carriage people a hard time. Parking meters are expensive. We allow business people to tear down the old houses.

We stay away now. It’s not fun anymore.

Do you remember when the owners of the Drake replica tried to get city permission to work on the waterfront? Shot them down. At least the El Galleon came to town, that’s a plus!

Cruising small boat sailors once were able to anchor in the bay for free. The city of greed stopped that on the excuse of pollution and derelict boats: A simple problem to solve, but the city chose the “big hammer” way.

I am a lifelong licensed captain who has seen a lot of what can be done the right way.

Also, your comments in the June 1 paper about “privatizing” Medicaid transportation and the COA are another example of the Republican business mindset in our state legislature. Becky Yanni is right on! The COA was doing a fine job until the legislature got involved.

St. Augustine