Rode it constantly in the 1960s. Just wondering if the route still exists.
Rode it constantly in the 1960s. Just wondering if the route still exists.
Goodness! Had not thought of that in ages... my mom used to take my kids there in the eighties thru. I doubt it. The things that are no longer... an ever growling list!
I was passed by a De-Dot bus on E. Grand coming from somewhere in North Detroit and heading to Belle Isle per rotating l.e.d. sign above windshield. But if you're thinking of a dedicated bus like there used to leave from that little building on Jefferson, no there isn't.
There is website about the history of public transportation on Belle Isle
http://www.detroittransithistory.inf...BelleIsle.html
There is also a website about the beautiful transit station that was at the entrance of the Belle Isle
http://www.detroittransithistory.inf...chStation.html
The only bus route that goes in the Island is the #12 Conant.
"According to an article in the July 3, 1980, edition of The Detroit News, Theodore Jordan, assistant director of the city's Parks and Recreation Department, stated that there was no attempt at subterfuge in knocking the building down after normal working hours. Jordan also added that, "The building has no historical value. We know it was built in 1921, but that's all we know."There is website about the history of public transportation on Belle Isle
http://www.detroittransithistory.inf...BelleIsle.html
There is also a website about the beautiful transit station that was at the entrance of the Belle Isle
http://www.detroittransithistory.inf...chStation.html
The only bus route that goes in the Island is the #12 Conant.
Jesus Christ the utter stupidity of government officials.
Thanks a lot for reminding me of what was one of the most infuriating situations I ever dealt with during my time in city government. I was on the staff of a Detroit city councilperson at the time, and we were working with the Friends of Belle Isle [[of which I was also a member) and the state's historic preservation people to come up with plans and funding to repair and renovate that bus shelter.
We had been assured by Parks & Rec, and, after a little prodding, by the mayor's office that we would get the time to formulate the plans and present them. I was personally given assurances by the mayor's executive assistant that the building would be secured and that they would review whatever plans we brought to them. The council had just held a public meeting a few weeks before in that neighborhood during which the bus station was discussed, and public support for its renovation was universally voiced.
I was over with family in Canada for their Canada Day party when I found out that bulldozers had been brought in, and had begun taking chunks out of the building as soon as they were rolled off the trucks. Calls to all offices went unanswered of course. The next day when the council member complained to the mayor the only response he got was to be told to contact Parks & Rec, resulting in the same BS statement you quoted.
There could be no doubt though where the demolition order came from. I've never been one of those racist Coleman Young bashers, but he showed nothing but disdain for our city's historical assets and far too often wielded his power like a common thug.
Something I would like to see is an automated shuttle that went from Belle Isle to downtown. It would help people get around Belle Isle, and the anyone in the city could take the bus downtown and then the shuttle to Belle Isle.
Even though it's the city's main park it's not very accessible to people without a car. I also think it's a good use case for autonomous shuttles because it would be a reasonably short, and low volume route, but which would have a lot of dispersed destinations.
I still remember the fiasco about the Sunday demolition of Little Harry's Restaurant [[in an 1850 Federalist style house) along Jefferson. Young was chums with Walter Bridgeforth III and his then wife Anita Baker. What was promised was an exciting development to replace the restaurant... what the city got was a non-descript IHOP...
^^^ Goodness was it an ULTRA dive before closing! Still I went a few times as it was near the job, and sometimes the food was good:
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ihop-detroi..._by=rating_asc
Yes there is.
The D-DOT Conant Bus goes from State Fairgrounds to Belle Isle and back and fourth. It's the only one.
Still pissed about that!I still remember the fiasco about the Sunday demolition of Little Harry's Restaurant [[in an 1850 Federalist style house) along Jefferson. Young was chums with Walter Bridgeforth III and his then wife Anita Baker. What was promised was an exciting development to replace the restaurant... what the city got was a non-descript IHOP...
^^^ Goodness was it an ULTRA dive before closing! Still I went a few times as it was near the job, and sometimes the food was good:
https://www.yelp.com/biz/ihop-detroi..._by=rating_asc
I miss Little Harry's.
^^^ I miss the IHOP waiter with the bad feet! He walked like his dogs where hurtin' every time I ate there. LOL!
Last edited by Zacha341; October-15-20 at 11:47 AM.
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