A small group of residents from Valentine Gardens in Kingston yesterday staged a peaceful protest against the erection of three gates by large businesses on Valentine Drive in their community.

The residents are contending that the gates, one already put up Purity Bakery and the others to be erected by the soon-to-be-built PriceSmart mega-store, will increase the flow of traffic on the narrow road causing a safety risk both to motorists and pedestrians.

“The road is very narrow and it will be problematic to have heavy traffic on it,” said Ian Masters, president of the Valentine Gardens Citizens’ Association.

“For example, last week a truck coming out of Purity climbed the sidewalk and nearly hit a child who was standing at a gate. With heavier traffic this will become an accident spot,” he complained.

Another demonstrator, Claudette Shirley, who said she has been living in the area for 36 years, told the Observer: “I am concerned about the noise, as well as the potholes that the heavy trucks will cause. It is also not safe for kids.”

The entrance to Purity Bakery was originally on Red Hills Road. But the company recently started building a new gate on Valentine Drive after it sold 4.5 acres of its property to the San Diego-based discount membership store, PriceSmart. The land sold is located on Valentine Drive, adjoining the bakery.

According to Masters, not even a flagman had been placed in the vicinity of the Purity gate to direct traffic while construction was underway.

He said that the association had written letters to the Chang family, who own the bakery, as well as the Myers family, who have partnership interest in PriceSmart.

Mark Myers, who also manages Restaurants of Jamaica, the KFC franchise in Jamaica, conceded that he was aware of the residents’ concerns and said he would be willing to meet with them.

“I am willing to sit down with the residents as well as representatives of the KSAC to see what can be worked out,” Myers told the Observer.

Vincent Chang, who is in charge of Purity Bakery, could not be reached for comment.

The National Works Agency (NWA) and the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation (KSAC), Masters said, had also been advised of the citizens’ objections to the gates. According to Masters, the NWA had recommended to the KSAC that the entrance to PriceSmart be removed from Red Hills Road onto Valentine Drive to help reduce traffic on Red Hills Road. The KSAC, he said, had given approval for the move.

Yesterday, officials at both agencies were tight-lipped about the situation.

“We are aware of the issue and have heard the concerns of the residents but on the other hand, the developers cannot be denied access to their property,” said Winston Hartley of the NWA’s Planning and Research Department. He refused to say whether any action would be taken to facilitate the residents.

Town Clerk at the KSAC, Errol Greene, said that while he was aware of the situation he could not comment on it.

Masters argued that the businesses needed to take the needs of the almost 1,500 residents of the community into consideration. He said that many senior citizens, Jamaicans who lived abroad and have returned home, and children would be affected by the development.

The residents said that they will continue to demonstrate while examining their legal options to get the gates removed.