Leaders of a half-dozen leading unions and community advocacy groups sent a letter to members of New York City Council expressing “deep concerns regarding the City’s plan to redevelop Coney Island.” They urged the City Council to change the plans in order to guarantee good jobs, create more affordable housing, improve public amenities for neighborhood residents and strengthen the amusement district.

Here’s what they had to say about amusements:

Through years of disinvestment, the active amusement area at Coney Island has been shrinking and must be strengthened to become a destination for all New Yorkers and tourists once more. To strengthen the “people’s playground,” the City must preserve more space for outdoor amusements and the small businesses and vendors who have kept Coney Island alive, invest in historic icons, develop an interim plan for amusements before construction is completed, and reinvest the revenue from City-owned land back into the community.

Signatories to the letter include New York ACORN, 32BJ SEIU, RWDSU, the NY Hotel and Motel Trades Council, UFCW Local 1500 and NY Jobs With Justice

The New York Observer has the full text of the letter.