If you can make it through the entirety of Detroit City Council President Charles Pugh's video about Belle Isle's future, you'll know he envisions a revamped park with all sorts of magical delights including waterfalls, horseback riding, long lines at the giant slide, and even healthy smoothies! The trouble is, it's hard to make it through the six-minute, four-second video without succumbing to a seizure induced by Pugh's many awkward hand gestures and choppy camerawork that inexplicably zooms in and out on the councilman.
Truthfully, much of what Pugh desires for Belle Isle makes sense, but upgrading Detroit's signature public park will be expensive. Pugh has a plan for that. He bravely rejects proposals that would turn Belle Isle into a state-run park funded in part by a $10/year vehicle entry fee--pedestrians could still access the park for free. Have you seen how those fat cats in Lansing have turned Metro Beach and the Bald Mountain Recreation Area into elitist playgrounds for plutocrats and robber barons? Instead, Pugh would like the state to "partner" with the city on Belle Isle.
As best as anyone can tell from Pugh's explanation, this partnership would involve the city running Belle Isle as they do now except the state would just give them a big pile of money to do so. -- JTW
