From the data gathered and the analysis given on all of the data, we conclude that the park is mainly used the way it was intended to be. The intended use, which was based on prior plans, historical research, and Belle Isle descriptive websites, is that of an Urban Wild park. It is intended to have space for outdoor, exercising, and recreational activities. Some ares are specifically designed to be used in one way, such as the bike course or the rock climbing wall. However, much of it is intended to be a natural landscape where people can exercise, relax, enjoy the scenery, and learn a little about its history from the sign postings. The surveys and behavioral mapping our research team conducted showed that this intended use was how people actually used the space. Most of the people observed were walking, running, biking, sitting, or relaxing. The pathways were the main section people used. There was one outlier where a man had created a large fire. Also, there is mention in the plans of certain sections being used for illegal activities, and locals will say that it is used in large part for people to drink beer and relax. (Locals: Melina Patterson, Mac Wood, Brandon Abell). This would be the opposite of the intended use; however, the beer drinking was not necessarily observed by our team. Another non intended use would be two men using the iron bar triangle (historical iron work) for gymnastic type exercise. This gymnastics, the fire, and the rumored beer drinking are the only instances of this park being used in other ways than intended. Our research concludes that the large majority use this park in a manner in which the designers had planned.
Photo: Tate Houff