The issue of whether or not the State would take over Belle Isle was tossed back and forth between Detroit City Council and Lansing like a hot potato.
It finally ground to a halt when City Council tabled a decision on a state deal. Governor Snyder declared the deal dead once that happened.
The State took its offer off the table, saying there was not enough time to get Belle Isle ready for the summer season.
But this political squabbling over Belle Isle has a long history in Detroit and Michigan.
It’s not new.
It goes back to the very first days when Detroiters wanted a park.
That was in 1871, and fireworks were flaring then.
Amy Elliott Bragg is the author of “Hidden History of Detroit” and she blogs about Detroit history at nighttraintodetroit.com.
Amy broke down the history of the Belle Isle purchase - the controversy that was stirred up over a 100 years ago - and what can we learn in 2013 about what it took to make Belle Isle a city park.
Listen to the full interview above.
