CINCINNATI — Actor and filmmaker Emilio Estevez has a message for Cincinnati leaders: he wants the Cincinnati Bell Connector ferrying riders across Over-The-Rhine once again.
Estevez, whose 2019 film "The Public" was set and shot entirely in the Queen City, penned a letter to Mayor John Cranley and City Council calling for the streetcar to let passengers to ride again after the streetcar suspended service April 1.
"As much as I love to walk, it's getting hot now, and I know that I speak for many of the OTR residents who would like to get on the streetcar and ride to Findlay Market and other businesses that can use all of our help to get back on their feet during this pandemic," Estevez wrote in his letter Monday.
Estevez says he has embraced Cincinnati, the city where his mother was born, as both a unique place to shoot films and as a unique city to live in. For him, the streetcar is more than just a way to get around, but is also a symbol of modernity and a changing urban landscape. He says it's among the main reasons he chose to shoot part of "The Public" on the streetcar.
"I believed it was important for those unfamiliar with how vibrant and upscale Cincy has begun to look and feel over the years, to see this sleek, modern piece of public transportation and that it may serve as an example of how city leaders are reimagining our urban landscape."
MORE: Emilio Estevez pours out his love for Cincinnati in 'The Public'
"The Breakfast Club” and “The Mighty Ducks” actor also said he has high hopes for the future of the streetcar.
"Historically speaking, Cincinnati’s track record for public transit has failed its people, starting with the unfinished subway in 1928. This remains the largest abandoned subway system in the United States. I have great hopes for the streetcar and believe that an expansion to the University and Clifton, and over the river would be a boon to both businesses and students. But that is for the future to decide."
Read Estevez's full letter in the viewer below:
