Great visit to belle isle

Attachment 27080Drove over to Belle Isle this morning on a whim. Hadn't been there in about 5 years. Paid our $11 for a year's pass without hesitation because I knew the money is going toward the upkeep of the Island and am glad to pay. My first stop was at the Scott Fountain. The last time we were on Belle Isle, Scott Fountain was dry and filthy. I never thought I'd see it up and running again, but today I was pleasantly surprised. I walked up those marble stairs that I had walked up so many times in my youth and the fountain is absolutely beautiful. I almost got tears of joy in my eyes because I never thought I'd see the fountain in it's full glory ever again. It was so clean and even smelled clean. I talked to a few people while walking around the fountain and they all expressed the same feelings that maybe now, Belle Isle is making a comeback.
The Casino was closed but looked cleaner than I remember it from 5 years ago. The new Shinola Clock is impressive. Dossin Museum was closed, the Aquarium was closed, the Conservatory was closed. I was getting upset but found out that most of them are open Wednesday through the week end. I was disappointed I couldn't get into them, but just picked the wrong day.
There is a lot of standing water on the Island and some of the roads through the woods need some work, but otherwise, I had a very pleasant experience on Belle Isle for the first time in a long time.
Attachment 27078

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Originally Posted by cla1945

Attachment 27080Drove over to Belle Isle this morning on a whim. Hadn't been there in about 5 years. Paid our $11 for a year's pass without hesitation because I knew the money is going toward the upkeep of the Island and am glad to pay. My first stop was at the Scott Fountain. The last time we were on Belle Isle, Scott Fountain was dry and filthy. I never thought I'd see it up and running again, but today I was pleasantly surprised. I walked up those marble stairs that I had walked up so many times in my youth and the fountain is absolutely beautiful. I almost got tears of joy in my eyes because I never thought I'd see the fountain in it's full glory ever again. It was so clean and even smelled clean. I talked to a few people while walking around the fountain and they all expressed the same feelings that maybe now, Belle Isle is making a comeback.
The Casino was closed but looked cleaner than I remember it from 5 years ago. The new Shinola Clock is impressive. Dossin Museum was closed, the Aquarium was closed, the Conservatory was closed. I was getting upset but found out that most of them are open Wednesday through the week end. I was disappointed I couldn't get into them, but just picked the wrong day.
There is a lot of standing water on the Island and some of the roads through the woods need some work, but otherwise, I had a very pleasant experience on Belle Isle for the first time in a long time.
Attachment 27078

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I know how you feel cla1945, when I saw the additional concrete roads and wall added since the last Grand PriX, I too got tears in my eyes.

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Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

I know how you feel cla1945, when I saw the additional concrete roads and wall added since the last Grand PriX, I too got tears in my eyes.

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The concrete roads and the wall are not something that would bring tears to my eyes Honky Tonk, but seeing the once disintegrating fountain clean and running, to see that the aquarium is open, the conservatory is still intact, the stables have a new roof, people are able to play golf on the course, lay on the beaches without fear of gunfire or robberies, is encouraging to say the least.

Finally, those concrete roads and walls represents millions of dollars generated inside the City of Detroit, badly needed funds wouldn't you say?

Nice report cla1945. Belle Isle's health is important for Detroit's image.

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Originally Posted by Lowell

Nice report cla1945. Belle Isle's health is important for Detroit's image.

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If you want to hear about the health of the island go to the DNR/ Belle Isle meeting open to the public at the Boat Club tomorrow at 9AM.

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Originally Posted by cla1945

The concrete roads and the wall are not something that would bring tears to my eyes Honky Tonk, but seeing the once disintegrating fountain clean and running, to see that the aquarium is open, the conservatory is still intact, the stables have a new roof, people are able to play golf on the course, lay on the beaches without fear of gunfire or robberies, is encouraging to say the least.

Finally, those concrete roads and walls represents millions of dollars generated inside the City of Detroit, badly needed funds wouldn't you say?

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Yeah, funds are badly needed alright. Too bad they leave Detroit with Penske for Bloomfield Hills. As far as image, we can show the world Detroit covers it's public park in concrete, and turns it into a racetrack, in the middle of a populated urban residence, and closes off access for 4 months out of the year. I wonder how many free watches were given out to allow Shinola to put up their billboard in a public park?

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Originally Posted by cla1945

...lay on the beaches without fear of gunfire or robberies, is encouraging to say the least.

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I've been to the beach plenty of times before it became a state park and I never felt fearful of gunfire or robberies. Just a bunch of people having fun.

^^^As I said, I was at the Island about 5 years ago, in November. Before that, the last time I was at the Island, during the summer, I felt very unsafe. Young adults and kids hung around in the middle of the street, blocking the traffic flow. Music was being played so loud all over the Island that Canada probably could hear it. If looks could kill, I'd be dead now. I myself was threatened on the beach, so it's not so far fetched as dtowncitylover says. It was not a pleasant experience and I vowed never to return.

Detroit itself could never have begun to revitalize the Island on it's own. Whoever is responsible, whether it's the State of Michigan or Penske or Joe Blow, I don't care; the Island is being looked after correctly right now! State Police are there to keep the peace, it cost $11 to buy a year's pass, if they want a race or to have a convention, or rent the casino for a private party, have at it. Belle Isle is a jewel that Detroit and all the State needs but can't care for...be grateful instead of finding fault with everything good that's happening.

Since the bankruptcy, I haven't been a spokesperson for Detroit in general. I went to Belle Isle to see for myself after hearing from many others about how much it's changed, and it HAS changed and I don't care who changed it. I spent many many days and nights there as a youth, swimming, riding the horses at Knapp Stables, riding bikes all over the island, canoeing, ice skating, etc. Today, and in the future, that can happen again on Belle Isle. Don't be so negative and just languish in it's beauty once again.

The island is beautiful and much cleaner than in the past. Very little litter, and it is hoped that the practice of dumping hot coals at the base of the trees will completely disappear. Never understood that. I like most of the changes.

Honky Tonk:

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The Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix:
• Is a 501[[c)3 non-profit corporation [[subsidiary of Downtown Detroit Partnership)
• Has provided improvements to Belle Isle totaling over $9 million since the race returned to the island in 2007
• Generates over $46.3 million annually in total spending for the region

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From: http://www.detroitgp.com/assets/2015...ortunities.pdf

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Originally Posted by jcole

Honky Tonk:

From: http://www.detroitgp.com/assets/2015...ortunities.pdf

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Thanx for the link, jcole, but I've seen all of that. I've read estimates as high as $15 mil in island "improvements". What they don't tell you is that the majority of those improvements are in and around the racetrack. All other island improvements were done by the DNR, by fund raising, and by volunteer work and sweat. Safety on the island little to do with Penske and his Grand PriX, it was State policing that put an end to it. I thought the DNR's job was to preserve and sustain natural habitat, not turn it into a concrete circus. Every year, Penske commandeers more of the island for longer periods of time, and more and more concrete gets poured. @ least the residents around the old State Fairgrounds had a chance to vote on whether or not they wanted a racetrack in their neighborhood.

I agree with Honky Tonk--the $ spent on the island was for improvements to the drainage near the track, more concrete and gravel to park trucks and cars,fix the fountain so it looked good in photos of the race, etc.
Has anyone seen the Red Bull race track which goes right next to the fountain? What happens when a car veers off the track and destroys the turtles, dolphins? Why did Ron Olson from DNR approve this race with no input from the Belle Isle Conservancy or Detroiters?
Go to the meeting tomorrow [[Thursday at the Boat Club 9AM) and make your voice heard to protect the island from corporate greed and destruction of it's landscape.

Just returned from the island. Scott Fountain is very clean, people are sealing the seams in the new concrete roadway. Nice. Speaking of concrete: There must be some way to soften the appearance of the large, empty concrete area near the fountain. Some kind of moveable greenery, maybe large planters? Perhaps plans have been made, but this would be my first suggestion.