We are the Save Coney Islanders
We are a large group of citizens from all over the city of Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and the surrounding tri-state area. Our group also includes people from Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, Lexington and some from out of state that regularly visit Cincinnati or have family here. We believe it would be a tragic loss to our city to lose Coney Island's historic structures, particularly Sunlite Pool and Moonlite Gardens. Coney Island's property is 100 acres while Sunlite Pool and Moonlite Gardens less than 6 acres. We are asking the new owners, CSO/MEMI, to keep these small but important sites in operation. Please read our open letter to CSO/MEMI below.
Open Letter to CSO/MEMI
An open letter
To the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and Music Events and Management Inc. (MEMI),
Thank you for all that the CSO/MEMI has provided to our city. Each of us is an enthusiastic music lover. We are so proud of the musical culture of Cincinnati and excited about its growth. Many of us are passholders of the CSO and frequent concerts at MEMI venues. We share in your mission to make Cincinnati a must stop place for the biggest and best musical acts in the world.
While a new state-of-the-art music venue sounds incredible, we cannot understand why 137 years of our collective history has to be destroyed in order for it to be built. A MEMI representative recently stated, "We understand that any time [sic.] change is intertwined with someone’s childhood and memories of growing up that it is sometimes not met with open arms." Conversely, we are asking for you to keep an open mind as we introduce ourselves.
Who are we? We call ourselves the Save Coney Islanders. We are a large group of citizens from all over the city of Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and the surrounding tri-state area. Our group also includes people from Dayton, Columbus, Cleveland, Lexington and some from out of state that regularly visit Cincinnati or have family here. There are members in our group that are employees of MEMI and CSO. We are part of the 23,000 + that have signed this petition to Stop the Cement Fill in of Sunlite Pool.
https://www.change.org/p/stop-cement-fill-in-turn-coney-island-s-pool-into-a-historical-landmark
We believe it would be a tragic loss to our city to lose Coney Island’s historic structures, particularly Sunlite Pool and Moonlite Gardens.
As many of you may not be Cincinnati natives, perhaps you simply don’t realize the gem that you hold in your hands. Coney Island is valued for its history as well as the good that it continues to provide to our community. And maybe we are at fault as well. We took Coney Island for granted and assumed that it would always be there waiting for us come summertime. Had we known earlier that our beloved summer home was in jeopardy of closing down we would have sprung into action immediately to help find a solution. We’re hoping it is not too late.
Other cities, such as New York, are spending millions to expand pool access for its citizens (https://pluspool.org/pool/), citing the well-researched importance of swimming to a community (+Pool Fact Sheet[1]): “Community swimming pools are the perfect solution to increased instances of extreme heat, social isolation, screen addiction, drownings, mental health issues, obesity, and more public space. … They are where people from different backgrounds come together as equals.”[2] Yet, Cincinnati is at risk of losing its largest swimming destination.
Sunlite Pool is the heart of our community and has been for almost 100 years. It is a place for people of all demographics, from all different ethnicities, backgrounds, and of all ages. But it is especially important as a place for children to learn how to swim. This importance cannot be overstated. Not only is swimming one of life’s greatest pleasures, but it is also a lifesaving skill. Last year Sunlite pool had 434 kids enrolled in swim lessons. In this group, the Save Coney Islanders, there are parents, grandparents, teachers, and swim instructors that are deeply concerned about the younger generations losing their place to learn this life changing skill. Some have shared stories of children they have known who were lost to drowning.
It’s an unfortunate fact that drowning is the #1 cause of death for ages 1–4, according to StopDrowningNow.org. Here are a few excerpts from the site:
“87% of drowning fatalities happen in home pools or hot tubs for children younger than 5. Most take place in pools owned by family or friends. Children 5 to 17 years old are more likely to drown in natural waters, such as ponds or lakes. 64% of African-American, 45% of Hispanic/Latino, and 40% of Caucasian children have few to no swimming skills. When Parents have no/low swimming skills (or competence) ability, their children are unlikely to have proficient swimming skills. This affects: 78% of African American children, 62% of Hispanic/Latino children, and 67% of Caucasian children. 79% of children in households with incomes less than $50,000 have few-to-no swimming skills.”[3]
So, to be blunt, removing Sunlite Pool could have fatal consequences for the unlucky ones that suddenly do not have access to swim lessons. Consequently, it would put a significant and immediate strain on every recreation center or public pool in the area to increase access to swim lessons for hundreds of kids.
Coney Island has been an affordable place for lower income families to enjoy. It’s a treasured “staycation” spot for those who can’t afford to leave town for vacation. If you google “average price of a concert ticket in 2023” you will see the result is $250. In contrast, last year a day pass to Sunlite pool was under $20. It is important to have affordable pool access for all income brackets in our city. Recent heat waves in the summers further raise the stakes, as public places to stay cool are a necessity, especially for those in poor communities with fewer resources to escape the heat.
The CSO’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion plan states:
“How the CSO serves its community must be informed by the community. A Community Advisory Council (CAC) will help the CSO approach this work from an asset-based perspective, defined as taking the lead from the community about what the CSO should be supporting, as opposed to assuming that we know what is needed.”[4]
We couldn’t agree more. Please give representatives of the Save Coney Islanders a seat at the table to discuss how keeping part of Coney Island intact will expand your DEI action plan even further. As mentioned above: African American, Hispanic/Latino, and lower income households are most in need of swim lessons. In this group we have many teachers; teachers from public and private schools, and they would like to propose a program to ensure as many kids in the Cincinnati area as possible have access to swim lessons. We believe we can drastically reduce drowning in the area if Sunlite Pool remains in operation.
We hear “Coney Island just wasn’t profitable anymore”. This is hard for us to believe since we witnessed and were a part of the packed crowds there as recently as summer 2023. However, if this is true, we in the community were not made aware of the problem and given the opportunity to help find a solution. In 2016–17 Music Hall was closed for a $143 million renovation, a project that had the support of Cincinnatians because of all that Music Hall provides to our city. We know that CSO/MEMI has the resources, creative leaders, and influence to make a dramatic course correction to preserve Sunlite Pool and Moonlite Gardens and likewise the effort would be supported by the city.
Now for a bit of history… Coney Island was established in 1886, the same decade that the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Statue of Liberty in New York were erected! Sunlite Pool, built in 1925, is older than Mt. Rushmore. Sunlite pool is the 12th overall largest pool in the world and remains number one as the largest recirculating pool in the world! The world! This site is an historic landmark, even if it hasn’t been officially declared as such. From 1952–1955, at the same time as Brown v. Board of Education, Coney Island also became the center of a civil rights battle. Cincinnati legend Marian Spencer, with the help of the NAACP, fought and won a lawsuit that desegregated Coney Island. The park is as much a part of Cincinnati’s history as the Red’s, Skyline Chili, German beer, Findlay Market, The Cincinnati Zoo, and Music Hall.
Moonlite Gardens is likewise a Cincinnati treasure and a significant part of musical history. Some of the most beloved musicians of all time have performed at Moonlite: Rosemary Clooney, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Louis Armstrong, Glen Miller and Andy Williams, to name a few.[5] Now it is frequently used as a wedding venue where families come to celebrate the most important day of their lives. It is puzzling to us that a music company would want to demolish a site with such rich musical history.
The Coney Island property is over 100 acres while the pool takes up less than five acres and Moonlite Gardens is less than one acre. Isn’t there space to build a new music venue AND keep this small but important portion of Coney Island intact? Why not keep Moonlite Gardens as a venue for those who appreciate more of a low-key music setting? Why not use Sunlite Pool as a music venue for smaller acts? Coney Island could become a must-stop place for all the best musical acts in the world, but also continue its rich history of being a place for literally everyone from all demographics! Music lovers, historians, swimmers, seniors, and toddlers.
We end this letter with love. We LOVE Coney Island. It is a place like no other, filled with too many memories to count. The best times of our lives have been spent at Coney Island. It is a place where people meet the love of their lives and share their first kiss. It is a place where many have their first jobs and create lifelong friendships. Coney Island has been, and can continue to be, a multigenerational and inclusive place that the Cincinnati area so desperately needs. Many of us have described the emotions that came up when we heard historic Coney Island would be demolished. It felt as though there had been a death in the family.
When the Save Coney Islanders first came together we had the most fun evening sharing our stories. We discussed who had their first job there, who was too scared to slide down the Silver Bullet, who learned how to swim there, who got married at Moonlite Gardens, etc. Not once did politics or other divisive topics come up. That is the perfect example of what Coney Island represents: family, connectivity, community, and love. At a time of great division in our country, we can make the reimagining of Coney Island a shining example of a city coming together for a greater purpose. In conclusion, we ask you to please contact us and let us discuss how we can turn this into a happy ending for everyone involved. Be our heroes instead of our heartbreakers.
We look forward to talking with you soon,
The Save Coney Islanders
Written by Natalie Chrystal of Mt Washington
Representative of The Save Coney Islanders
Contact us at SaveConeyIslanders1886@gmail.com
[2] ibid, pages 4–5.
[4] https://www.cincinnatisymphony.org/about/diversity-equity--inclusion/
[5] https://cincinnatipreservation.org/coney-islands-moonlite-gardens-sunlite-pool-under-threat/