Belle Isle Advisory Committee

Michigan Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee
Parks

Thursday, July 21, 2022
9:00 a.m. — 11:00 a.m. EDT

View meeting details

Add to iCal

Add to Google Calendar

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team

Note-taking by Jack Filbrandt

Giant Slide will reopen soon and operate through the end of Sept. Athletic Complex renovations are complete.

Live reporting by Karen Dybis

Giant Slide will reopen soon and operate through the end of Sept. Athletic Complex renovations are complete.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 2/29

The Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee advises the state on implementation of improvements, master planning and public safety for Belle Isle Park.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 4/29

Today’s meeting includes an update on the bus shuttle service on the island, Scott Fountain, the giant slide and the boathouse.

We are waiting on a quorum.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 5/29

Meeting is starting with roll call and reports from the DNR and others as they wait for a quorum. Summer Woods, Bud Denker and Mike Curis are all there on behalf of the committee.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 6/29

Moving onto updates: Floyd Karis from the DNR is up. He’s going to jump into park updates. Karis: This is week three for the bus shuttle. Ridership is light, but they are getting a lot of people who want a ride around the island and then get back into their vehicles for home.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 7/29

Karis Floyd: Biggest destination for the shuttle is the beach. He hopes that will help traffic backups and lack of parking spots in that location. They have added a second, ADA-accessible bus that offers that service as well. “So far, so good. We’re hoping to get the numbers up.”

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 8/29

Floyd: Youth program is now on the island. Ages 18-25 mostly. They go to different state parks around Michigan to get work experience. On Belle Isle, they’ll see the day-to-day activities and they’ll work on operating the giant slide (licensing, inspections, run the slide).

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 9/29

Floyd: The island recruits from this youth program. Also, they are adding signage around the island for the bus shuttle so people can find it.

V. Lonnie Peek is now on the call. Minutes have been approved.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 10/29

Floyd again–RE: Giant slide. Waiting on documents to be signed, and the youth program will operate it. Then, they can move forward with it. They hope to keep it open through September.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 11/29

Floyd: Scott Fountain isn’t running “because we don’t want to run it.” There are some safety issues to address before staff can go back in to operate the fountain. He understands the importance of running it as a Detroiter; he even had his first kiss at the fountain.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 12/29

Floyd: “it’s a very old fountain that’s going to require some severe maintenance. We are in that phase right now to address these maintenance issues from electrical to concrete to plumbing.” Memo went to committee members on what all is needed. Keeping people updated on social.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 13/29

Floyd: If they can get it up and running, they’ll keep it going later into the year (beyond Labor Day) so people can enjoy it. He understands people come to the island to enjoy it specifically, so he wants to get it up and running again. “We understand the importance.”

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 14/29

Amanda Treadwell, DNR: Funds raised to fix the fountain went to brickwork and areas of the marble. It needs to be watertight as well, and there are points in the large basin where it was leaking into the under areas. It has been fixed over the years, but it’s an old fountain.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 15/29

Treadwell: Need for repair progressed during Covid. They’re waiting for core samples to be finalized (?) to get them back; backlog so it took six months for the people to even get to the site to test it. “We’re working hard to move this along” but hard to get this testing done.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 16/29

Treadwell: Got results back in early summer; core samples show some deterioration to concrete because of freeze/thaw cycles. They’re reviewing this concrete with the structural engineers. Long-term solutions need to be implemented to support the concrete. Structure is key.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 17/29

Treadwell: Short-term issues are employee safety, appropriate ventilation, code updates. There are some code violations that they’re working with consultants and engineers to address within mechanical areas. Electric needs updating, working on that now.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 18/29

Treadwell: The fountain might be ready for next steps in three or four weeks. Plus, a DTE retiree is willing to help them work through these issues and get the right documents into play so the right people can get the fountain up and running; this manual is a side project.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 19/29

Treadwell: Boat house updates next. But first! Joel Thomas: Keeping maintenance going; youth helping out with that. Hiring more park rangers and staff; offers out and waiting on some other background checks.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 20/29

Law update next: Lt. Todd Szyska, DNR Law Enforcement Division. Busy at the park. The public needs to follow speed limits (25 MPH) but speeders coming , especially on the bridge. Enforcement is occurring. “We’re just trying to make it safe out there with the park being packed.”

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 21/29

Treadwell back: (She’s the field planner.) Boat-house update: It had a roof failure in the oar room earlier in the year; bought in architectural team (also working on the fountain; WTA’s historical architect). Did phase one assessment of building–rec’ed not open to public.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 22/29

Treadwell: Now going into phase two on how to address deteriorated areas and getting people back into the building. This study kicks off and should have cost estimates for three options to address this and public access back into the building.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 23/29

Treadwell: They should get the cost estimates back mid-September to review. The next step will be looking to see how to get the budget secured and the cost benefits of each of the three options that will be presented. Not sure when it will reopen, she notes.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 24/29

Treadwell: Lots of others updates on projects, including the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, which should get some repairs as soon as the bidder is selected. Getting lots of other proposals for roof repairs, trail updates, and more.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 25/29

Curis: Do we have a fund for all of these repairs? Belle Isle is one of the oldest and largest public parks, so there needs to be funds for these kinds of major improvements and must-happen repairs to keep its infrastructure sound and available to the public.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 26/29

Onto public comments. Michael Betzold: The island is not a playground for millionaires like Roger Penske. There need to be updates for the public, not for car shows. He says this committee has demonstrated it puts money ahead of the public good.

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 27/29

Meeting ends–10:37 a.m.

Next meeting: 6 p.m. August 18

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 28/29

For more meeting coverage, check out http://documenters.org. #detdocumenters

Karen Dybis @KarenDybis 29/29

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@outliermedia.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.

Attachments

0 attachments

Agency Information

Michigan Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee

www.michigan.gov

See Documenters reporting

The Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee advises the state on implementation of improvements, master planning and public safety for Belle Isle Park.

More from this agency

Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee

Michigan Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee

Thursday, June 26, 2025

9:00 a.m. EDT

Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee

Michigan Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee

Thursday, July 17, 2025

9:00 a.m. EDT

Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee

Michigan Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee

Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025

6:00 p.m. EDT

Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee

Michigan Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee

Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025

9:00 a.m. EDT

Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee

Michigan Belle Isle Park Advisory Committee

Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025

9:00 a.m. EDT