Belle Isle public square would make island more accessible to visitors

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A rough sketch of what a public square on Belle Isle would look like. A conceptual design is in the works.

(FOX 2) - Officials that oversee Belle Isle's operations say a plan is in place to better connect some of the island's popular features, making it easier to walk to the beach, conservancy, canals, and gardens.

A public square would act as a "central connection point" for those visiting the island.

Big picture view:

The Belle Isle Commons would create a public space on the island that offers access to many of its most popular features, including the Anna Scripps conservancy, aquarium, and surrounding canals.

A study on the reasons why people visit the island found most travel to Belle Isle for one reason before leaving. Meagan Elliott, who heads the conservancy, said they want to make it easier for those visitors to walk elsewhere on the island.

"We want to create some opportunities to make the space usable and accessible for everyone in between those moments," she said. "You could even walk to the beach - it's relatively close but I think in all of our mental maps it feels really far away."

Dig deeper:

The work is done in partnership with the state and a conceptual design for the eventual public square will wrap up by the end of the month.

Once it's complete, Belle Isle officials will take their plan to the public and see what they think.

From the multi-modal study "this is…the next iteration of that work to make the island feel more connected and accessible."