Visit to Belle Isle

detroitjim · May-27-09, 06:30 PM

Took a ride to the island today. Hadn't been there in seven months or so. I figured by now that the restrooms on the Strand across from the fountain would be finished. Nope , but there were piles of turds nearly circle the building. It just goes to show how useless the Parks and Rec personnel are. Not just the average employee but the managers. How much trouble would it be to have a simple sign made up warning people that it is CLOSED and directing them to one that is OPEN.
Of course, the sign would have to be large enough to see and be positioned before exiting your vehicle. Too much obviously for their self centered existence.
The Comfort station at the Strand and Woodside is open but there were no signs differentiating the "Mens" from the "Womens". Another bit of simple courtesy could be easily accomplished with a bit of paint and brushwork on the wall beside the door but Nooooo! Too much to hope for .
Just a short distance from that comfort sattion is a small bridge that spans the outlet of Lake Okonoka. The wood decking of the bridge is rotted and someone thought as much since there is a barricade across the path. Trouble is the barricade is not directly adjacent to the structure but 20 feet away and there is only one on the south side nothing blocking the spans use from the north side of the path. A couple of 2x4's in an X nailed to the bridges rail would be an effective deterrent to a casual hiker . If anyone has any ideas and needs a number
1-888-CALL-SAM[[225-5726) or 1-800-LEE-FREE[[533-3733)

Yup,[[3rd) World Class City.

I already know some of the excuses that will be made in defence of the city personnel . Someone will cry that there aren't any funds for the purchase of any supplies . YEAH RIGHT!!!
Oh and, I didn't have to go I just wanted to see what it looked like inside.

Time to turn its operation over to the Metroparks system.

**Detroitej72** · May-27-09, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by detroitjim

Time to turn its operation over to the Metroparks system.

That was the best statement in your post.

**jt1** · May-27-09, 07:19 PM

"Time to turn its operation over to the Metroparks system. "

For the love of god let's please quit throwing out this ignorant fucking statement. The city approached HCMA and was politely told to fuck off.

ONCE AGAIN, HCMA TOLD THE CITY THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED.

If that didn't register: HCMA TOLD THE CITY THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED OR WILLING TO EVEN DISCUSS BI.

I'd like to turn over my mortgage payments to someone else but if they aren't interested there isn't much I can do.

3rd world city stuck in a backwoods region.

**jt1** · May-27-09, 07:23 PM

Now my above post is not excusing the things jim mentioned, just stating a fact that HCMA will happily take tax dollars from the city but has not interest in helping with BI, listening to talks about BI and actually pulled their funding from the State Fairgrounds.

Funny how nobody in the region ever thinks the regional HCMA tax is a problem even though it benefits certain areas much more than others. Typical SE Michigan 'regional' thinking.

**French777** · May-27-09, 07:59 PM

So you saw NOTHING positive on the Island today? Nothing at all? All Negative!

**jcole** · May-27-09, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by French777

So you saw NOTHING positive on the Island today? Nothing at all? All Negative!

Personally, I think seeing piles of human shit would cancel out whatever positives he did see. Kind of stick in the front of your mind, wouldn't it?

**French777** · May-27-09, 08:12 PM

True, True.

**rjk** · May-27-09, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by jt1

For the love of god let's please quit throwing out this ignorant fucking statement. The city approached HCMA and was politely told to fuck off.

When did this happen?
The city was willing to hand over control of the island to HCMA with no strings attached?

**Todd_Scott** · May-27-09, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by rjk

The city was willing to hand over control of the island to HCMA with no strings attached?

No, the city was not willing to do that and that's why the deal fell through. The HCMA was interested in managing Belle Isle just like they do other Metro Parks but they weren't interested in handing money over the city to run the island. The HCMA is interesting in increasing their presence in Detroit and some Detroit organizations have been discussing possibiliities with them [[though not at Belle Isle.)

**jt1** · May-27-09, 09:02 PM

"No, the city was not willing to do that and that's why the deal fell through. The HCMA was interested in managing Belle Isle just like they do other Metro Parks but they weren't interested in handing money over the city to run the island."

Yes and no. During the CAY times that was the case. During KKs time he approached HCMA and they stated that they were not interested regardless of ownership or anything else. There were no talks of handing it over because HCMA said no regardless of the deal. They have actually stated that it cost too much to bring it up to the original plan therefore they are not interested in any considerations. Detroit messed up 20-30 years ago - HCMA took their football and went home and have not been open to conversations since. I have not gotten this years budget so I will have to request it to make sure that they still fund anything in the city.

"The HCMA is interesting in increasing their presence in Detroit and some Detroit organizations have been discussing possibiliities with them [[though not at Belle Isle.) "

Please elaborate. HCMA has pulled funding from teh State Fairgrounds and monies that previously supported some functions at BI have been cut. I believe their involvement in the city is a resource partially allocated to the BI zoo/nature thing.

I have exchanged e-mails with HCMA leadership and have gone through previous budgets. To say that they are interested needs some facts to back it up.

**jt1** · May-27-09, 09:03 PM

"The city was willing to hand over control of the island to HCMA with no strings attached? "

Conversations didn't get past:

City: "Hello HCMA"
HCMA: "GO away, were not interested.

**jt1** · May-27-09, 09:07 PM

Tood_Scott

To your point - I hope I am wrong and would love to hear what HCMA has planned for the city. The conversations I have had with leadership there over the years has indicated no thoughts, concerns or cares about anything, even basic programming in the city.

I hope I am wrong but nothing I have heard from them or seen in past years budgets have given me any reason to believe that things have changed. Of course they have stated that the consideration for BI isn't reasonable due to $$ for capital improvements. Since then they have announced 10s of millions in cap improvements elsewhere including new waterparks, and other extravagances.

**jt1** · May-27-09, 09:35 PM

PS - For people that are unhappy with the care at BI there is no reason to not join the friends of BI: http://www.fobi.org/

**dcmorrison12** · May-27-09, 09:55 PM

You all are forgetting, Detroit is full of colored people... non whites :0!! Of course Detroit wouldn't get a fair shot at being equal with the other regional parks.

[[note my sarcasm please... and yes, I live in the COD)

**rjk** · May-27-09, 09:57 PM

When BI is run and cared for the way Central Park is I'll be sure to volunteer.

Detroit politicians with their lack of vision and political will concerning BI has turned it into the mess it is today.

**jt1** · May-27-09, 09:59 PM

Central Park is run by a conservancy that is funded by private donations.

Compare apples to oranges to justify not doing anything. But hey, at least you can bitch about the shape of it.

**jt1** · May-27-09, 10:01 PM

Here is the Central Park conservancy site: http://www.centralparknyc.org/site/PageServer

When Central Park was managed by NYC it struggled bad. The difference is the people in the city and region took responsibility for it as opposed to waiting for the city to do something.

But you have your excuse.

Also, here is an excerpt form the CPC:

"The Central Park Conservancy is a private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1980 that manages Central Park under a contract with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. Thanks to the generosity of many individuals, corporations, foundations, and the City of New York, the Conservancy has invested more than $500 million to date into the Park making it a model for urban parks worldwide. The Conservancy provides 85% of Central Park's $27 million annual operating budget and is responsible for all basic care of the Park."

So are you willing to donate to FOBI to help out a little? If not deferring to Central Park is a bullshit excuse.

**Hamtragedy** · May-27-09, 11:33 PM

There's a Metro Park sign over by the Nature Center.

**jt1** · May-27-09, 11:48 PM

That is correct Hamtragedy

HCMAs monstrous contribution to the city is 'programming' at BINZ. Th e'programming consists of about 2 two hour sessions a month during the spring/summer months.

Not much return on the dollar sent to HCMA. If anything it is nothing more than a weak attempt at PR. Compare the resources and programming at BINZ compared to the rest of their programming.

Retroit · May-28-09, 08:19 AM

A simple entrance fee would do wonders.

**jt1** · May-28-09, 08:24 AM

I agree, even if it is nominal with waivers for poor/elderly. You could also have police be more aggressive writing tickets and have a % of the proceeds go back to BI.

The city would also be wise to reach out to area leaders and see if they can get some seed money to start a conservancy. It is working pretty well with the riverfront.

**kraig** · May-28-09, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by dcmorrison12

You all are forgetting, Detroit is full of colored people... non whites :0!! Of course Detroit wouldn't get a fair shot at being equal with the other regional parks.

[[note my sarcasm please... and yes, I live in the COD)

Colored people? You're telling on yourself.

**irish_mafia** · May-28-09, 09:19 AM

NAACP or BIAPCP [[Belle Isle Association for Partying Colored People). That would be me last Saturday at the DYC Regatta party sporting my rather bronze-like tan and picking up a flag

**rjk** · May-28-09, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by jt1

So are you willing to donate to FOBI to help out a little? If not deferring to Central Park is a bullshit excuse.

Absollutely not as long as the island is controlled by a group of nincompoops.

As far as getting people to donate to FOBI, one of the aforementioned nincompoops probably has a few bucks that she saved on her property taxes that she could donate. Try giving her a call.

Give me a call when FOBI is running the island and not just trying to cover for the incompetence of the city.

**bassab** · May-28-09, 10:45 AM

The conservancy is on the way, currently being led and created by the BIWC. They are currently getting the committments for financing the conservancy and then will move on to raising the funds for the restoration of the island. [[The newly landscapped Sunset Point with new restroom facilities was paid from by the BIWC). They are hooked into the movers and shakers of the Detroit area. This is not a pie in the sky organization or dream, look for real results in a few years.

http://www.hourdetroit.com/Hour-Detr...r-of-the-Year/