Belle Isle Aquarium to open. Mayor cuts ribbon 9/14

**esteban** · August-24-12, 09:16 AM

Message from Secretary Jennifer Boardman and President Vance Patrick, of the Belle Isle Aquarium:

"Today we met with the mayor's press secretary. It's really going to happen, the Belle Isle Aquarium is going to reopen. The mayor will cut the ribbon Friday, 9/14!"

**esteban** · August-24-12, 09:29 AM

Reference: Post from Facebook
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**jpbollma** · August-24-12, 09:44 AM

Full-time? How are they doing this? Enough volunteers or will the state plan for the aquarium be announced at this time? I had seen the story that it would be opened part-time.

**esteban** · August-24-12, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by jpbollma

Full-time? How are they doing this? Enough volunteers or will the state plan for the aquarium be announced at this time? I had seen the story that it would be opened part-time.

Hi jpbollma,
To my knowledge the backbone of the staff will be volunteer; I don't know what the State plans are, perhaps the Mayor will have an announcement at that time?
I just talked to Aquarium President Vance Patrick a moment ago. he says the main drive now is to find and fund a full-time director so that the Aquarium has cohesion.
"The Aquarium is open; now the real headaches start [[laugh)." Vance is fully aware of the struggle for financial stability that the organization must now face, but right now is a time for celebration; until this moment the City Administration did not officially recognize the Aquarium support organization, so it is a great triumph.
When you consider the bleak dessert hopelessness supporters of the Aquarium had to traverse, and the dogged persistence they have exhibited since the closing in '05, this is a great triumph, and Detroit needs all the good news it can get right now.

I want to thank all those dedicated people who walked the walk and made this happen. You guys so totally rock!
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Shuttering of the Aquarium protest February, 2005

**esteban** · August-24-12, 11:04 AM

I just found this; a picture that speaks of persistence and determination:
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John Slick standing outside the Aquarium with one of the many hundreds of "Fish Protest" signs he made.

**townonenorth** · August-24-12, 11:17 AM

I'd like to say thank you to the hard working members of this group. Their commitment to the reopening of the Aquarium has been unwavering. Through their dedication, countless citizens of the region will be able to, once again, enjoy the oldest aquarium in the region.

**corktownyuppie** · August-24-12, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by townonenorth

I'd like to say thank you to the hard working members of this group. Their commitment to the reopening of the Aquarium has been unwavering. Through their dedication, countless citizens of the region will be able to, once again, enjoy the oldest aquarium in the region.

Agreed! Thanks for all the great work -C

**mikeg19** · August-24-12, 03:10 PM

I've never been to the aquarium and I'm a big saltwater fish enthusiast. Is it just freshwater fish they keep there or do they have saltwater fish and saltwater reefs set up? For some reason I bet a lot of homeowners and fish stores have a nicer setup than the aquarium for them, but can someone clarify? I'd like to make a trip there regardless.

**MrMister** · August-24-12, 03:32 PM

yayyyyyyyy

**JBMcB** · August-24-12, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by esteban

The mayor will cut the ribbon Friday, 9/14!"

This is *fantastic* news. However, is it customary to hold a ribbon cutting ceremony for re-opening something, when it shouldn't have closed in the first place?

**DetroitPlanner** · August-24-12, 08:29 PM

Is Kwame going to attend?

**esteban** · August-24-12, 11:06 PM

Detroit News:
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...xt%7CFRONTPAGE

**jpbollma** · August-25-12, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by esteban

Detroit News:
www.detroitnews.com/article/20120824/METRO01/208240441/Detroit-s-Belle-Isle-Aquarium-reopen-three-days-month?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

I hate reading the comment section of the Detroit News. Such idiots.

**gameguy56** · August-25-12, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by jpbollma

I hate reading the comment section of the Detroit News. Such idiots.

Next Up, the Science Center

**detmsp** · August-25-12, 11:32 AM

it would be great to see them open on a weekday for school groups to come in.

**MidTownMs** · August-25-12, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Is Kwame going to attend?

Yes...he will be in the Jellyfish tank.

**MidTownMs** · August-25-12, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

I've never been to the aquarium and I'm a big saltwater fish enthusiast. Is it just freshwater fish they keep there or do they have saltwater fish and saltwater reefs set up? For some reason I bet a lot of homeowners and fish stores have a nicer setup than the aquarium for them, but can someone clarify? I'd like to make a trip there regardless.

Why are you making assumptions about the aquarium when you have never been there?

**DetroitPlanner** · August-26-12, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by MidTownMs

Yes...he will be in the Jellyfish tank.

I can hear his speech now: "If I didn't close this down, a great event like to day would have never happened!"

**Kathleen** · September-09-12, 07:37 PM

Woohoo!!! The Grand Re-Opening Set for Sept 15!

http://www.positivedetroit.net/2012/...pening-is.html

**stromberg2** · September-10-12, 01:20 PM

Will it be fully stocked with fish?

Stromberg2

**Ltdave** · September-15-12, 06:04 PM

the wife, daughter and i went today....

a very good crowd! we got there about 1100, stood in line for about 45 minutes or so and were #s 1142-1144...

after the conservatory there was a line twice as long as when we started so id say close to or over 2,000 visited...

sure there was only about 1/3 of the tanks full but it was so cool just being back in there again...

**adamjab19** · September-15-12, 07:46 PM

You are a braver man than I Ltdave. Totally got mixed in with all of those damn bikers [[what the hell was that?!?)! Took me 35 minutes to get on the island then we pull up and saw the line and said no way... We had all had it. Went and got lunch instead. They announced the aquarium on the news but not that annoying bike thing, would have planned around it!

To get on my soapbox for a moment: It's one thing to have an event but on noon on a Saturday!? Get that stuff done by 10am so everyone else can carry on with their lives. And I am more pissed because it was so damn dangerous. Bikers were all over the place! And the cops were part of the problem lounging on their Harley blocking lanes of traffic for no apparent reason.

/end of rant, my panties are definitely in a bunch!\

**Cooper** · September-15-12, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by adamjab19

You are a braver man than I Ltdave. Totally got mixed in with all of those damn bikers [[what the hell was that?!?)! Took me 35 minutes to get on the island then we pull up and saw the line and said no way... We had all had it. Went and got lunch instead. They announced the aquarium on the news but not that annoying bike thing, would have planned around it!

To get on my soapbox for a moment: It's one thing to have an event but on noon on a Saturday!? Get that stuff done by 10am so everyone else can carry on with their lives. And I am more pissed because it was so damn dangerous. Bikers were all over the place! And the cops were part of the problem lounging on their Harley blocking lanes of traffic for no apparent reason.

/end of rant, my panties are definitely in a bunch!\

The "annoying bike thing" was the 11th-annual Tour de Troit, an event that draws 5,000 riders from across the country for a 30-mile bike ride through the city:

http://www.tour-de-troit.org/
http://www.freep.com/article/2012091...ks-all-records

This was my second year doing it, and I couldn't be more enthusiastic. I'm sure it's frustrating to drivers, but it's definitely a net win for the city. Just like the Free Press Marathon, it draws a huge crowd and really showcases the city. It's also a fundraiser; the proceeds pay for new bike lanes throughout the city.

I do agree the timing was unfortunate, but the fault lies with the aquarium [[or whoever set the date of its grand reopening). The date of the Tour was known months, if not a full year, in advance. The date of the aquarium re-opening was announced just a few weeks ago. I wish the re-opening had been another Saturday, because I really wanted to go [[I was there protesting the day it closed), but c'est la vie.

**Honky Tonk** · September-16-12, 02:45 PM

"The "annoying bike thing"was the 11th-annual Tour de Troit, an event that draws 5,000 riders from acrossthe country for a 30-mile bike ride through the city."

YES! Welcome to Detroit! Bike, Roller-Blade, walk, visit, RELAX, glad to haveyou! That being said, Indian village had their annual Yard Sale yesterday.[[which I might add here, Cooper, was planned 20 YEARS in advance). Hundreds ofpeople were there, men woman, children, old busia's. A lot were"shopping" from their vehicles. They looped the thousand cyclistsRIGHT THROUGH the yard sale, over, and over, and over, for about an hour and ahalf. You couldn't cross streets because of the congestion. Then groups ofcyclists decided to "shop" while cycling down the sidewalk @ a goodclip. One became very annoyed with me when I yelled "heads up" as hecame @ my friend and I, head turned looking @ sale items. [[he would have beenmore annoyed had I grabbed his presta valve pump and wacked his pee-pee). Whoever planned this route didn'tthink things out very well, IMO. Once around, to show off IV & the YardSale, would have been enough. Take up 2 lanes of traffic. I can see you're fast by the writing on your shirt and pants. You don't have to prove it by cutting across 2 other lanes of traffic. Coupled with the disrespectful attitude somecyclists had, it DID become annoying. However no harm done, we made it alive,his pee-pee, still intact, and most people, [[on and off bikes), were cool. Ihope MORE events are planned like this, just everyone should remember peopleactually live in the City. Please have some respect.

**Cooper** · September-16-12, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

YES! Welcome to Detroit! Bike, Roller-Blade, walk, visit, RELAX, glad to haveyou! That being said, Indian village had their annual Yard Sale yesterday.[[which I might add here, Cooper, was planned 20 YEARS in advance).

I was surprised by this too because the Villages CDC was the primary sponsor and beneficiary of the Tour. You'd think they would have known about the yard sale in advance!