{"id":65662,"date":"2025-08-25T14:23:02","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T18:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/?p=65662"},"modified":"2025-08-25T14:23:45","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T18:23:45","slug":"10-years-after-michigan-took-over-belle-isle-detroit-takes-stock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridgemi.com\/urban-affairs\/10-years-after-michigan-took-over-belle-isle-detroit-takes-stock\/","title":{"rendered":"10 years after Michigan took over Belle Isle, Detroit takes stock"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This story was published as part of <\/em>Next City\u2019s<\/em><\/a> Detroit News Hub, a reporting project funded by the Kresge Foundation. The hub includes <\/em>BridgeDetroit<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Planet Detroit<\/em><\/a>, and <\/em>Chalkbeat Detroit<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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More than a decade after the state took over management of Belle Isle, residents are being asked to help shape the island\u2019s next chapter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Belle Isle Conservancy have launched a survey, open through Labor Day, asking visitors to rank potential investments<\/a> in the 982-acre island park. The results will guide decisions on everything from new mobility options to amenities around Belle Isle\u2019s busiest attractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2014, about $144 million has been invested in the park, according to conservancy President and CEO Meagan Elliott. Projects have ranged from long-delayed infrastructure repairs to new gardens and bike lanes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s been a significant amount of trust building over the last decade,\u201d Elliott told Planet Detroit. \u201cI\u2019ve heard that from residents, where it\u2019s \u2018actions speak louder than words.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But many Detroiters say the improvements have come with tradeoffs, stricter enforcement of rules, vehicle fees, and occasional closures when the park reaches capacity. As Belle Isle enters its second decade under state management, long-simmering questions remain about access, equity, and what it means for the island to still feel like Detroit\u2019s park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Readers can take the DNR\/Conservancy survey here<\/a> through Labor Day.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

From summer sleepovers to curfews: How Belle Isle access has changed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On a recent Friday morning, Dennis Miller set up for his mother\u2019s birthday party at Sunset Point. For Miller, 66, who grew up on Detroit\u2019s east side, Belle Isle carries decades of memories, from horse rides and summer sleepovers in the 1960s to a Pershing High School reunion that once packed the island to capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey had to shut it down because of a Pershing High School reunion,\u201d Miller recalled with a laugh. He said the last decade of improvements represents \u201ca fabulous job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI witnessed the decline of this park. I\u2019m now witnessing the rebound of this park.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Donna Givens Davidson, president and CEO of the nonprofit Eastside Community Network, those same changes feel more complicated. She remembers when Detroiters camped out on Belle Isle to escape the summer heat. More recently, she\u2019s been escorted off the island after staying past the 10 p.m. closing time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Low-income visitors to Belle Isle should be allowed to document their income and receive a recreation pass for the island, which became a state park in February 2014, says Donna Givens Davidson, president and CEO of the nonprofit Eastside Community Network. (Photo by Dustin Blitchok)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor almost all of my lifetime, until 10 years ago, Belle Isle was our park in Detroit. It\u2019s ours. It\u2019s what we have. It\u2019s our park on the river,\u201d Givens Davidson said. \u201cWas it poorly maintained? Yes. Did we need more money for it? Yes. But the way that money was given really created these control mechanisms that restricted access to people who no longer have their island park.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belle Isle enforcement and access<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Law enforcement officials say they are simply enforcing rules that have long been on the books: a 10 p.m. closing time, speed limits, and prohibitions on alcohol without a permit. But for many Detroiters, stricter enforcement has changed the island\u2019s character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen the city turned over Belle Isle to the state in 2014, no rules were changed,\u201d said Michigan State Police spokesperson Lt. Michael Shaw. \u201cBelle Isle always closed at 10. It was not as enforced back then because of the city going through some financial difficulty and police officers being involved in other incidents. We\u2019re just enforcing the same rules that have been on Belle Isle since I was a kid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shaw said enforcement was stepped up a decade ago in response to traffic jams that sometimes left ambulances and fire trucks unable to navigate the island, as well as public drinking and marijuana use. \u201cOne of the first things we actually did out there was to ensure there was always a flow of traffic, so if an emergency did occur on the island, the proper services could go there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That shift has made Belle Isle \u201ca lot better, safer, and cleaner,\u201d Shaw said, attracting more families and discouraging some of the previous behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Givens Davidson said the enforcement still reflects unequal access. She noted that while Detroiters can be ticketed for drinking outdoors, members of the private Detroit Yacht Club \u2014 located on the island \u2014 are permitted to drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a certain level of privilege that differentiates people at the Detroit Yacht Club with people who aren\u2019t,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s the exact same activity. One is criminal, one\u2019s not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lt. Damon Owens, who supervises the DNR\u2019s law enforcement division on Belle Isle, said the Yacht Club operates under a longstanding lease and is not managed by the state. On the rest of the island, alcohol is allowed only with a formal permit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shaw emphasized that officers are not targeting every picnic or party. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre we going around checking everyone\u2019s red Solo cups? No, we\u2019re not doing that. We\u2019re more concerned about the people whose fun is interfering with the family fun that\u2019s happening on the island.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, incident reports show the range of issues officers handle. Between June 22 and July 5, conservation officers responded to a self-inflicted gunshot wound, cited anglers and drivers for violations, arrested a speeding motorist with a felony warrant, and found a man in a parking lot with a blood alcohol content of .438. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the Ford Fireworks on June 23, they issued warnings for alcohol, tents, grills, and unrestrained children; that same day a child stepped on hot coals dumped in the grass, and a suspect was arrested after the theft of a pistol from a vehicle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On July 4, officers answered domestic violence calls, put out fires sparked by hot coals, and reported a ranger being struck by a vehicle during the evening shutdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belle Isle investments and improvements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When the state assumed management of Belle Isle in 2014, the first priorities were basic repairs: fixing drainage problems, reopening closed restrooms, and tackling years of deferred maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The $144 million invested in Belle Isle includes money raised by the conservancy, $23 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, and contributions from the Michigan DNR, the Department of Transportation, and state police, said the Belle Isle Conservancy\u2019s Elliott, who previously worked in Detroit\u2019s Office of the Chief Financial Officer and as the city\u2019s chief parks planner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The infusion of state support freed Detroit to invest in its more than 300 neighborhood parks, many of which had fallen into disrepair during the city\u2019s financial crisis, she said, adding that since then, more than 160 city parks have been fully renovated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Meagan Elliott, president and CEO of the nonprofit Belle Isle Conservancy, says many fundamental issues on Belle Isle were fixed before she came on board, giving her a \u201ctremendous opportunity\u201d to advance the vision that community members have for the park. (Photo by Dustin Blitchok)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe relationship of the state taking over the management of Belle Isle is what allowed me to focus on every neighborhood park in the city,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have come in with a tremendous amount of opportunity, because so many of those basics have been covered,\u201d Elliott said of her role at the conservancy, which started July 1, 2024. With many fundamentals repaired, the conservancy can listen to what residents want for the park and advance their vision, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belle Isle mobility and the future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As basic infrastructure needs have been addressed, attention has turned to how people move around Belle Isle and what the island should look like in the years ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A two-and-a-half-year mobility study found that the most visited spots are the Belle Isle Aquarium and the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, two attractions that sit side by side. That\u2019s where planners envision a \u201cBelle Isle Commons,\u201d a central square that would act as a mobility hub.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Commons concept includes a Detroit Department of Transportation bus stop, bike and scooter rentals, air stations for tires, and expanded water and ADA-accessible features. The goal is to make Belle Isle easier to explore without relying on cars, Elliott said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou get in your car, you cross the MacArthur Bridge, you go to wherever your destination is, get out, do whatever you plan to do, get back in your car, and then leave,\u201d Elliott said. \u201cWe want to create opportunities for visitors to walk, discover new things, and experience the island in a different way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the mobility study, community members pushed back on a proposal to convert the one-way loop road into two-way traffic, citing Detroit\u2019s \u201ccruise culture\u201d and the tradition of circling the island to take in river and skyline views. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elliott co-chairs the Joe Louis Greenway Partnership and envisions linking Belle Isle to the city\u2019s planned 30-mile loop of trails. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy dream is that someone who starts out on Joy Road on the far west side can go out their front door, get on the greenway, get down to the riverfront, and get all the way to Belle Isle and enjoy their day that way,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other possibilities include shuttles and ferries, with service connecting both sides of the island and across the river to Windsor. The next phase of community feedback on the Commons design will begin in September, Elliott said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belle Isle\u2019s ongoing issues<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Despite traffic management efforts, Belle Isle still reaches capacity on busy days. When the island\u2019s roughly 3,200-vehicle limit is hit, the MacArthur Bridge is closed to cars, though cyclists and pedestrians can still enter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belle Isle\u2019s capacity is monitored with a real-time traffic counter that tracks vehicles coming and going, said Tom Bissett, the DNR\u2019s urban district supervisor who manages the island. \u201cIt\u2019s state-of-the-art in that I can take a real-time snapshot of how many vehicles are on the island,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tom Bissett, the urban district supervisor for the Michigan DNR\u2019s Parks & Recreation Division, gives Planet Detroit a tour of the inner workings of the James Scott Memorial Fountain on Belle Isle before its closure for an 18-month, $6 million renovation. (Photo by Dustin Blitchok)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The DNR\u2019s Owens, who supervises the DNR\u2019s law enforcement division on Belle Isle, said the island was closed to vehicles four times this summer as of Aug. 12: Father\u2019s Day (June 15), June 22, the day of the Ford Fireworks (June 23), and July 4. The closures are based on congestion levels as well as total vehicles, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DNR uses text alerts, social media, and highway message boards to notify the public, but residents say the reasoning isn\u2019t always clear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you\u2019re shutting down the island, that means you can\u2019t be outside here,\u201d said the Eastside Community Network\u2019s Givens Davidson, who noted recent closures coincided with extreme heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The community activist said she hears of Detroiters using neighborhood parks more often \u201cbecause they feel welcome there, and they feel as though those parks belong to them.\u201d

She said some residents are weighing whether to hold events on Belle Isle, \u201cbecause we don’t know if the island will still be open.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI love riding my bike here and not having to deal with traffic,\u201d says Carlos Parisi, 37, of Southwest Detroit, who spoke to Planet Detroit during a Friday morning Belle Isle Swim Club gathering. (Photo by Dustin Blitchok)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Carlos Parisi, 37, a Southwest Detroit resident and owner of the food business Aunt Nee\u2019s, said he rides across the bridge on his bike when vehicles are turned away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI still ride my bike right on in,\u201d Parisi said. \u201cI love riding my bike here and not having to deal with traffic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parisi said casual riders tend to stick to the Ralph Wilson Jr. Trail, a loop around the island, while more serious cyclists use the road. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Michigan State Police\u2019s Shaw said some tension exists between drivers and cyclists on Belle Isle, adding that it\u2019s common statewide and not unique to the island. He reminded motorists to leave three feet when passing and urged cyclists to obey traffic signs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belle Isle visitors can text the word \u201cGEM\u201d to 80888 or sign up online to receive alerts about closures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speeding and enforcement on Belle Isle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Traffic safety  remains a focus. On June 1, DNR officers conducted a four-hour \u201csaturation speed patrol,\u201d targeting motorists driving at least twice the 25 mph speed limit with increased enforcement. Officers issued 51 tickets that day, and another 20 during a similar patrol two weeks later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to continue to (conduct) these saturation patrols as much as we can,\u201d Owens told the Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee in July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recreation passport: Lifeline or regressive fee?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Another ongoing debate is the $14 state recreation passport required for vehicles entering Belle Isle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some visitors, like Brooke Tiller of Farmington Hills, who helps organize the Belle Isle Swim Club, say Detroiters shouldn\u2019t have to pay to access the park. \u201cDo New Yorkers have to pay to go to Central Park?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DNR staff say enforcement begins with education: Violators are given the option to mail in an envelope and purchase a pass before facing penalties. About 40% of vehicles entering Belle Isle have a passport, said Bissett, the DNR supervisor, who supports a proposed \u201copt-out\u201d system that would automatically add the fee to license plate renewals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elliott calls the passport program a \u201clifeline\u201d for state parks, noting that it funds improvements in parks statewide, including in Detroit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to funding state parks like Belle Isle, the recreation passport grant program awards about $2 million annually to local communities for park projects, according to<\/a> the DNR. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Givens Davidson argues the fee falls hardest on low-income Detroiters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we set fees, we don\u2019t always understand the impact on people, and it ends up being a regressive fee, a regressive tax,\u201d she said. She suggested income-based fee waivers and the existing opt-in model that gives Detroit residents a choice when buying vehicle registration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For all the investments and new plans, the question of access still lingers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe know that good things are happening there,\u201d said Givens Davidson, noting the Oudolf Garden that opened in 2021 as an example of progress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI just want Detroiters who\u2019ve lived through the bankruptcy, who\u2019ve lived through so many crises, I want legacy Detroiters to have not just the same access, but greater access to this resource.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Timeline: Belle Isle under state management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n