Detroit belle

Some half a million would gaze into its tanks its first year. For the season, , Detroiters paid visit to the aquarium, with an average of 2, dropping by each day. The year-round aquarium survived the Great Depression -- but not all of its fish were so lucky. The saltwater fish were removed because of the great expense in keeping them. Officials said they simply could not afford to buy the 95, gallons of seawater, so the aquarium sold its fish, including "Big Pete," a beloved, mammoth sea turtle that was sold to a market and turned into soup.

The Zoological Park Commission-run aquarium had more than 2, fish in and more than 3, in when the year-old facility got a makeover. The fish moved into new refrigerated, back-lit, aluminum-faced tanks that helped keep things cool in the summer months. A giant pool in the center of the building was tiled over and replaced with large tanks. Old floor pools that had long been filled with carp and - the Detroit News reported at the time - discarded popcorn, were replaced with enormous tropical fish exhibits.

The tanks were outfitted with driftwood and water plants. The aquarium's latest star would be an pound snapping turtle. At the time of the renovation, the aquarium had about 3, fish of species on display. It was, according to then-curator Keith Kreag, the largest collection of fish ever put on display and perhaps the finest collection of freshwater fish in North America.

It boasted everything from piranhas to lampreys to electric eels at the time. In , Mayor Roman Gibbs targeted the aquarium and the birdhouse at the zoo under his austerity program for the city. In , a proposal was floated to demolish the Ford Auditorium and build a new aquarium along the riverfront. This plan was shelved because of money issues, but talk of building a new super aquarium would surface later.

Attendance declined steadily in the s and s. In , more than , people visited the aquarium. By , the number had fallen to 56, By comparison, more than 1. Friends of Belle Isle Aquarium offered the city a last-minute lease proposal to keep it open and take over the operational costs.

The plan was denied. Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's office said the aquarium needed a multiyear, multimillion-dollar plan, not a stopgap. Organizers continued holding fund-raisers, selling T-shirts and holding rallies in hopes of saving the aquarium. Even Gov. Jennifer Granholm wrote a letter offering her support, though she didn't offer any financial help. Still, Kilpatrick said simply, "It's time to close it.

On April 3, , after years, the aquarium was shuttered, joining many of the other Belle Isle attractions that had disappeared, from horse and pony rides to the Belle Isle Zoo. More than 4, people turned out for the final day. About a half hour before the doors closed for good, there was a line of more than people snaking out the door and down the block, the Detroit Free Press reported. When it closed, the aquarium was home to more than 4, fish and other aquatic creatures, from shrimp to small sharks.

The fish were packed up and exiled to other aquariums, the tanks were drained and the doors were locked. At the time, Kilpatrick said the critters were on loan and would be retrieved if the city built a new aquarium or reopened the old one. But it still remained closed. Today, the state of Michigan does not have a single public aquarium. Now, with Kilpatrick out of office following a perjury conviction, the Friends of the Belle Isle Aquarium are making progress in reopening the beloved attraction.

A large volunteer effort Jan. The group is trying to convince the City Council to turn the aquarium over. A event was scheduled, but eventually cancelled, a victim of the downturn in the Detroit automotive industry and the city's economic struggles. Roger Penske always remained open to the idea of racing making a return to the Island and, after a four year hiatus, the Indycars returned, this time in partnership with the Grand-Am Series.

Proceeds from the event have been used to fund improvements to the facilities on Belle Isle. Once again, the short course was utilised in , with a sealed-surface paddock area the only major change. A resurfaced link road allowed for the use of the longer course once more from onwards. The island itself has a much longer history beyond that of the Grand Prix.

Landscaped in the s by Frederick L. Olmsted, the highlights of Belle Isle are the aquarium the oldest such facility in the USA, having first opened in , the Scott Fountain and the botanical garden in the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory. The conservatory and the Belle Isle Casino were constructed by Detroit architect Albert Kahn, well-known for developing open-floor plan concrete factories. The casino building is no longer a gambling facility, but it is used for public events. Belle Isle also was home to a large herd of European fallow deer for more than 50 years.

A few remain as exhibits at the nature center, but the last of the animals was captured in and relocated. On race weekends, there is no parking on the island and all race attendees are required to use the shuttle bus facilitites laid on by the event organisers.