Iron Belle Trail

[Detroit Stylin]

Belle Isle to add 6 miles of paved trail to the park

http://detroitgreenways.org/iron-belle-trail/

[Crystal]

Our family are avid cyclists and hikers, and we love this plan.

On Wednesday, August 24 at 6:30 PM at the Flynn Pavilion there is a public meeting to help plan the Belle Isle trails system:

http://detroitgreenways.org/public-m...trails-system/

[Bobl]

I admit that I was skeptical when the island became a State Park. It is looking good, though, and this plan has great potential. Belle Isle is a jewell!

[Lowell]

I like the Iron Belle Trail project a lot. Great idea.

However... regarding Belle Isle... Enough already with the paving over the island.

Since they plan on adding six miles of paved bike lane [http://detroit.curbed.com/2016/8/22/...elle-isle-dnr] then IMO the equivalent amount of already paved ground should be returned to nature, ideally more.

I could make suggestions. Start with that hideous Grand Prix paddock.

Since they can't seem to maintain paved roads they already have it makes me wonder why they are adding more. Try driving on Vista past the athletic fields, potholed from end to end.

On the brighter side, there were excellent paths through the forest. Since the damage is done and they are still there, but overgrown and in need of repaving, that would make for a nice route inclusion.

[Lowell]

Regarding the forest bike trail, I decided to check it out on Google Earth and found it here, slightly highlighted in red.

[Jimaz]

Michigan's Iron Belle Trail [[zoomable) Viewer

[eastland]

I like the Iron Belle Trail project a lot. Great idea.

However... regarding Belle Isle... Enough already with the paving over the island.

Since they plan on adding six miles of paved bike lane [http://detroit.curbed.com/2016/8/22/...elle-isle-dnr] then IMO the equivalent amount of already paved ground should be returned to nature, ideally more.

I could make suggestions. Start with that hideous Grand Prix paddock.

Since they can't seem to maintain paved roads they already have it makes me wonder why they are adding more. Try driving on Vista past the athletic fields, potholed from end to end.

On the brighter side, there were excellent paths through the forest. Since the damage is done and they are still there, but overgrown and in need of repaving, that would make for a nice route inclusion.

I agree -- too much pavement on the Island. The forest paths are good; some major bumps every so often; maybe just fix them.

[masterblaster]

I like the Iron Belle Trail project a lot. Great idea.

However... regarding Belle Isle... Enough already with the paving over the island.

Since they plan on adding six miles of paved bike lane [http://detroit.curbed.com/2016/8/22/...elle-isle-dnr] then IMO the equivalent amount of already paved ground should be returned to nature, ideally more.

I could make suggestions. Start with that hideous Grand Prix paddock.

Since they can't seem to maintain paved roads they already have it makes me wonder why they are adding more. Try driving on Vista past the athletic fields, potholed from end to end.

On the brighter side, there were excellent paths through the forest. Since the damage is done and they are still there, but overgrown and in need of repaving, that would make for a nice route inclusion.

I think that the bike paths are a good idea. They will probably just be around the perimeter of the island, a sort of Riverwalk around the Isle's perimeter. The island is big enough for there to be bike paths separated from traffic; it will encourage more people to come and ride their bikes around the island, as opposed to the bike lanes that are just marked on the side of the road - inches away from speeding cars.

The parking paddock is an affront to the purpose of a greenspace.

[esighed]

I think that the bike paths are a good idea. They will probably just be around the perimeter of the island, a sort of Riverwalk around the Isle's perimeter. The island is big enough for there to be bike paths separated from traffic; it will encourage more people to come and ride their bikes around the island, as opposed to the bike lanes that are just marked on the side of the road - inches away from speeding cars.

The parking paddock is an affront to the purpose of a greenspace.

What they need is a blacktop permeable to water trail for biking or jogging NOT near cars on the island. The trails should be away from the road like the ones at Cape Cod or the ones at Point Pelee park. Doesn't Stony Creek Park have trails alongside the road with flocks of pheasants? The old cement trails inside the forest should be revived at the west end of the park and there should be more stop signs at the entrance of the park by the bridge to prevent cyclists from being hit by cars..
I agree the cement paddock is hideous!!! Repave the walkway around the lagoon by the fountain and get rid of the Penske Paddock!!
Also complete the trail around the Blue Heron Lagoon so you can walk from the parking lot to the lighthouse and back around the lagoon to your car. Don't know how you would not get hit in the head by a golf ball from the driving range. I know there are a lot of folks who like that beach by the canal and kayakers like that canal too. Make a little shelter there on the trail with a picnic table or two. Also sell bait for fishing once the Blue Heron is connected to Lake Okonoka by that project financed from NOAA [[national oceanic and atmospheric administration Dept of Commerce)

[casscorridor]

The Island looks okay post-state takeover. It could be much better though. Some things are worse. The slide near the beach is disgusting and no longer operational. It was up and running under city control. I know things take time, but this particular example is quite disgraceful.

[Honky Tonk]

The Island looks okay post-state takeover. It could be much better though. Some things are worse. The slide near the beach is disgusting and no longer operational. It was up and running under city control. I know things take time, but this particular example is quite disgraceful.

Well, I attended the "Public Input" meeting with the Department of Natural Retards yesterday evening. My opinion is these guys are nothing more then bad corporate shills in mounty uniforms. The only reason for this meeting was that they could have something on paper that said "Yeah, we had a meeting and got input." Their biggest concern is somehow offending Penske and his Grand Pricks. When one person questioned why the current bike path can't be rehabbed instead, in one breath he told her because runners and cyclists are interfering with each other so we're build a path for runners and cyclists. [[huh?) For some reason, he seemed totally against repaving Central Ave., or any of the original, central bike path. @ one point he said it was unuseable, citing a "bump" in the road and that no cyclists use it, during his presentation. [[seriously?) I pointed out I passed 3 different cyclists on there, on my way to the meeting. The guy from the Belle Isle Exploitancy, could care less about conserving anything other than his grant for the concrete path. Aside from tearing out natural habitat and pouring more concrete for the path, they also have plans to add parking lots and buildings with restrooms. He went through a bunch of slides of existing buildings, explaining why repurposing them wouldn't suit their needs. Someone asked about the 4-500 singles, couples, and families, that use the shoreline for sitting, watching, reading, fishing, BBQing, and chilling on Sundays, and that the path would obstruct access and view of the river. They were told "in some spots you'll have as much as 20 feet". My opinion is this, the State is hell bent on turning Belle Isle into some kind amusement-type revenue, generator, and eventually even more foliage and wildlife will be destroyed, and more construction will be done. Last Monday night, only 2 toilets worked in the new restrooms on the West end of the island, and while we sat there listening to the State guy last night, the gutters on the building we were in, were overflowing, like Niagara Falls. I don't see much hope for the State revamping anything on Belle Isle, they seem to have their own agenda.

[GPCharles]

I don't understand why they can't use big, tree-sized planters for the paddock area and move them when they need the paddock for the race. Something along the lines of what Grosse Pointe Park has at Kercheval and Wayburn. Those planters are made to be moved with a hi-lo, so they could be moved very easily when the race is utilizing the area.

Not great, but at least it would break up that acres of concrete.

[Wesley Mouch]

What a bunch of negativity. Lighten up, kids.

I think its great that there's attention on this new trail state-wide, and that Belle Isle is being celebrated. Great news.