Letter to the Editor from Parnell Quinn

Dear Editor,
I am writing to you today to share with you my opinion and concerns about the fight over the new
underpass near the train crossing in Winter Park on Kings Crossing Road. Why is the government of Winter Park fighting the new underpass connection? When this affects the safety of our children, our families, our residents and our guests.
Three headlines I never want to read:
Two year old baby girl dies in Winter Park at a home in Leland Creek after slipping in the tub,
because the ambulance could not get there in time.
An 80 year old man slips on sidewalk and dies from hypothermia because the ambulance could
not get there in time.
40 people are killed in Winter Park forest fire, unable to evacuate because tracks were blocked
by train.

 

HOW COULD ANY OF THIS HAPPEN? Because it’s happened before. The underpass that leads to the Timber House Ski Lodge near Old Town WP was something that came to be after a guest staying at the lodge had a heart attack and there was no way to move the train that was blocking the road in and out to get help.
I believe many unfortunate incidences can be avoided if the Town of Winter Park’s government will
honor their commitment to Serve, Protect and Direct for the children, families, stakeholders and
guests of Winter Park and surrounding communities. Currently there is a safe passage that could be connected, with the new underpass in Grand Park. I urge the residents, homeowners, and guests that live and come stay in Winter Park to call or write a letter to the Winter Park Town Council to stop wasting money on lawsuits and spend the money on obtaining a safe passage for ambulances, firetrucks, police and people that live in town.
The corner of the Kings Crossing railroad tracks is so bad that the Town of Winter Park had to put up multiple signs indicating a “sharp downhill turn” and that it’s possible you might slam into a moving or stopped train, indicating they know this is a dangerous crossing and should be avoided if at all possible.
Again, in my opinion, the Town of Winter Park’s government has no good reason to fight the
connection to the underpass, because nothing is more important than the safety of our children, our families, our friends and our guests. When a government puts safety second to financial gain it is time for the people to speak up about what is best and what should be done with their tax dollars.
As many of you have read the history of the train crossing and the new underpass and the current
lawsuits in previous news stories. I just wanted to point out the obviousness of why the under pass
was agreed to in the first place by the towns, railroad and the Grand Park development: SAFETY.
As the residents and guests have known for a long time, the Towns of Fraser and Winter Park are
better and stronger when we all work together. It is time that the governments to get on the same
page. It’s time we are proactive and progressive for our community.

Parnell Quinn
Lifelong guest and full time resident of the Winter Park/Fraser Valley,
Managing Partner at The Simple Life Real Estate Company, and one of the Town of Fraser’s Board of Trustees.