This article first appeared on Planet Detroit and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Belle Isle has a new look for the new year.
A new brand identity and website for Detroit’s 982-acre island park launched Tuesday with the aim of making it easier to plan visits and interact with the Belle Isle Conservancy, the nonprofit that supports the island’s operation.
The rebrand, for which the conservancy partnered with Detroit ad agency Lafayette American, includes:
- A “plan your visit” hub on the website.
- Curated content for island visitors like families, runners, older adults, dog lovers, nature explorers, picnickers, and event-goers.
- A space to share Belle Isle memories.
- Information on the conservancy and how to support it.
- A centralized calendar.
- Spotify playlists for the island.
“It’s the home everyone thinks of when they close their eyes and imagine what makes this city so amazing and unlike any other city in the world,” Meagan Elliott, the conservancy’s president and CEO, said of the island during a launch event at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum.
She announced a celebration on Belle Isle on March 13 — 313 Day — that will include photo portals, food trucks, live DJ sets, and more.
Mayor Mary Sheffield said: “I want every Detroiter — of every age, background, and ability — to be able to find joy on this island.”
Sheffield, who was sworn into office Friday, said her administration is taking a new direction.
“I intend to highlight what is most beautiful about our city, and Belle Isle is a world-class attraction,” she said.
Emily Siegel, president of Lafayette American, said the color palette on the conservancy’s website is “inspired by the many tones that bounce off the island at sunrise, sunset, and throughout the day.”
Visitors to the site are welcomed with a homepage greeting that changes in real time.
After $174 million investment, Belle Isle improvements ongoing
January marks the 12th anniversary of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ management of Belle Isle, said Kristen Kosick, chief of the agency’s Parks and Recreation Division.
In that time, $174 million has been invested in capital improvements on the island that enhance its cultural, natural, and recreational assets, and improve public safety, she said.
The DNR continues to make improvements based on the public’s feedback, Kosick said, detailing projects that are underway on Belle Isle:
- More trails, a two-way cycle track, and canal access across the park.
- Continued investment in amenities like bathrooms.
- Improvements to the aquarium, casino, and fountain.
- The renovation of the Belle Isle Boathouse by developer Stuart-Pitman Inc.
Belle Isle is Michigan’s most-visited state park, with more than 5.5 million people crossing the MacArthur Bridge annually.
The Belle Isle Conservancy’s Elliott said the nonprofit and the DNR listened to input from more than 11,000 Detroiters during summer 2025 on the Belle Isle Commons concept, which would create a centralized hub near the island’s most popular destinations, the side-by-side aquarium and conservatory.
The survey on the Commons concept remains open for continued feedback at this link.
The conservancy plans to bid out the design of the Commons plan this year and fundraise for the project, Elliott told Planet Detroit.