Detroit Belle Isle event 2012

[TeamMina]

Official prognosis, nothing appears wrong with Mina doesn't require an X-Ray.
But she's gotta stay home, under orders of a week's bedrest.

[Mighty_Mo]

Official prognosis, nothing appears wrong with Mina doesn't require an X-Ray.
But she's gotta stay home, under orders of a week's bedrest.

Wooooooooooooof!!!!!!!!!

[TeamMina]

Looks like the Belle Isle event might look alot different next year:

"Belle Isle Likely Won't Be Free Anymore"

Detroit's consent agreement with the state includes a plan to lease Belle Isle to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which would manage the island park and help fund improvements and new activities.
The catch?
Belle Isle is now a free park. In DNR hands, visitors likely will be required to buy a state recreation passport -- a $10 add-on to a license plate fee that gives a motorist access to 99 state parks and more than 1,000 boat launches.
But probably not right away.
"The first year, I would say we don't" charge the fee for Belle Isle, said DNR director Rodney Stokes. "I'd like to see the people used to seeing what we can do before we do that."
Stokes stressed that no plans are final yet on the funding or state spending on the 985-acre park that is one of Detroit's major jewels. He hopes to meet with city officials in the next 30 days to review annual costs and map out which infrastructure improvements are needed.

The city asked for help with Belle Isle and wanted the deal included in the consent agreement, said Naomi Patton, spokeswoman for Mayor Dave Bing. The partnership "is exactly what's needed," Patton said.
The partnership will include others, as well, Stokes said.
"I don't think the state can do it by ourselves," he said. "We're hoping that the corporate community will be willing to adopt some of those facilities to restore those as well."
Belle Isle would be a great place for corporate outings and other gatherings, he said.

Stokes said he also wants nonprofit groups, such as the Belle Isle Conservancy and the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy, to help with the island.
Belle Isle will be managed jointly with the William G. Milliken State Park and Marina, which lies along the Detroit River between the Renaissance Center and Chene Park, Stokes said.
Generations of Detroiters have hiked, biked, fished and picnicked on Belle Isle since the city bought it in 1879. It was laid out by famed landscape architect Frederic Law Olmsted, who is best known for designing Central Park in New York.
The DNR sees it as a chance to not only help Belle Isle, but also to showcase state parks to some Detroiters who might never have visited one. The state's recreation passports have sold well across Michigan, but Wayne County has lagged, Stokes said.

"We think exposing people to the state parks philosophy will help," he said. "Belle Isle would be a great place to get urban residents involved in outdoor activities."

[allenite]

There has been talk for several years of charging an entrance fee to the park, partially to keep some of the undesirables off the island or at least chip in for their damage. I believe the current DNR fees for out-of-state vehicles are $8 per day / $29 per year. As much of the island's facilities that have been crumbling, a DNR takeover may be a way to rejuvenate some investment in the park. Maybe the DNR will finally get a spot within the Pure Michigan campaign after all these years.

I am kind of surprised they are not looking to operate it outside of the DNR's main parks like they do for Mackinac Island though.

"We think exposing people to the state parks philosophy will help," he [Stokes] said. "Belle Isle would be a great place to get urban residents involved in outdoor activities."

Hopefully that is not the run-down condition of many of them in Michigan.

[Mighty_Mo]

I have heard this plan. I am in a wait and see mode here.

$8/day for 4 people in the vehicle is only $2 apiece.