Who We Are

Save Coney Island is a volunteer, non-profit organization committed to restoring Coney Island as a world-class amusement destination for all New Yorkers and visitors.  Our members include residents of the Coney Island area, Coney Island performers, local small business owners, historians, Polar Bears, regular visitors to the amusement area, and many other individuals for whom Coney Island holds a special fascination.

What We Do

• Disseminate information about the Coney Island redevelopment
• Facilitate community discussion about Coney Island’s future
• Save Coney Island aggressively promotes the concept of restoring Coney Island to the public and the media. In May 2009, we produced a brochure detailing issues with the city’s plan that was distributed to several thousand New Yorkers and in July we produced a short YouTube video that was watched nearly 8000 times. Our petition has been signed by over 4000 people, and press reports regularly include quotes from a Save Coney Island representative.
• Save Coney Island organizes rallies and acts of theater to dramatize the cause. Earlier this year, the Mermaids delivered petitions to the Chair of the City Planning Commission, Amanda Burden. We organized rallies in front of City Hall and Brooklyn Borough Hall.

Our Principles

Save Coney Island believes that new development in Coney Island must contribute to the restoration of the amusement district as one of the world’s great entertainment areas. Specifically the revitalization of Coney Island must:

• Begin immediately by creating programming on vacant lots starting as soon as the summer of 2010
• Foster a unique and world-class amusement district
• Keep the amusement district as an affordable recreational destination for all New Yorkers
• Be large enough to serve the needs of all New Yorkers and visitors
• Enhance Coney Island’s appeal to visitors from around the world
• Preserve the best of Coney Island’s unique heritage
• Create an environment in which independent entrepreneurs, small businesses, artists can thrive
• Preserve the amusement district’s colorful, human-scale, pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and open-air, seaside atmosphere
• Address local needs for jobs