Belle Isle slide set to reopen this summer following safety improvements

The slide was closed in August 2022 after officials determined an over-application of wax was the cause of excessive rider speed.

The giant slide on Belle Isle will reopen this summer after shutting down due to safety concerns.

The giant slide on Belle Isle will reopen this summer after shutting down due to safety concerns.

The popular giant slide on Belle Isle is set to reopen this summer following necessary safety improvements after potential injuries reported by riders two years ago.

The slide was closed in August 2022 after officials determined an over-application of wax was the cause of excessive rider speed.

Tom Bissett, urban district supervisor for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, told WDET an exact reopening date has not yet been determined.

“We are currently waiting for the purchase order to be finalized for the landing surface,” he said. “Once that is in place, the contractor will provide a timeline for the delivery, installation.”

Bissett says the slide will require inspection by the Department of Licensing and Regulation before it can resume operations. This inspection will ensure the slide meets safety standards.

Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.

WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

Donate today »

Author

  • Amanda LeClaire
    Amanda LeClaire is an award-winning host and producer of CultureShift on 101.9 WDET-FM Detroit’s NPR station. She’s a founding producer of WDET’s flagship news talk show Detroit Today, and a former host/reporter for Arizona Public Media. Amanda is also an artist, certified intuitive and energy healer, and professional tarot reader.