In the latest episode of CuriosiD, WDET’s Russ McNamara examined why so many fire stations in Detroit have koi ponds. Now he’s taking a closer look at the koi pond on Belle Isle – or at least trying to. 

The pond sits between the aquarium and the conservatory, and with some HVAC work going on, experts at the aquarium are worried about dust and debris getting into the water. 

Paul Shuert, curator of the Belle Isle Aquarium, said the main danger of debris comes from the koi’s eating habits.  

“They eat just about anything, they’ll graze on leaves that fall in into the pond, stuff that grows in the bottom,” Shuert said.  

For now, the koi are stored in the basement of the aquarium. Shuert added that the koi have been on the island and were once housed at the now-defunct zoo. 

“They were even on the island when the aquarium was closed for seven years,” Shuert said.  “They were still here and cared for.” 

Weathering the seasons

There was a time when the koi did not live in the pond year-round as they do now, according to Shuert. In October, he said people would help bring the fish to the basement to keep them safe during the winter because they weren’t sure it would stay filled with water.  

“Once we got the pond fixed, we stopped bringing them in because we didn’t want to handle them. It’s not good to handle fish anytime,” Shuert said. 

The annual moving of the fish became a tradition known as the Koi Festival, and Shuert said each fish had to be caught one at a time. 

“We drain the pond, so we get down to maybe six inches of water, where we can chase them, and we scoop them up one at a time until we get all the water out and all the fish out,” Shuert said. 

During winter, Shuert said the koi go into “almost a hibernation stage” where they shut down their metabolism and wait out the cold weather. 

“When the water gets about 50 degrees, they become active again. And then we start feeding them, and they just love it out there all summer long,” Shuert said.  

Looking forward to a homecoming

However, the koi will spend this summer in the basement due to new air conditioning being installed in the aquarium. Meagan Elliot, president and CEO of the Belle Isle Conservancy said the project costs $10 million and will be the first major update to the aquarium in 75 years. 

“These are beloved assets, but they are over 120 years old, and take a lot of care and particular detail when it comes to their restoration,” Elliot said.  

As for the koi, Elliot said they will be returned to their home in the pond before the end of this year. 

“We’d like to do some sort of a celebration,” Elliot said, “kind of similar to the historic Koi Festival that celebrates returning the koi back to the pond.” 

“Black Summers” – a book about growing up in the urban outdoors –  is a compilation of writings from Detroiters. In it they detail what it’s like to experience a summer here. But it’s not just about playing tag at the park or barbeques on Belle Isle. The book balances the joys and freedoms that come with the season while remaining very aware of how our racial history at one point restricted it. 

The 33 entries in the book range in their style and depth. Together they paint a picture of what it’s like to be outside in Detroit. Desiree Cooper is the editor of the book. She joined the program to explain how she weaved these pieces together. 

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More stories from The Metro

Former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has dropped out of the race to become Michigan’s next governor.

Duggan wrote in a letter posted to his campaign website that unified anger over the war in Iran and rising gas prices made it difficult to continue his pitch for unified and bipartisan leadership. He also said he was unable to build “serious national fundraising support.”

Duggan entered the race as an independent. A recent poll by the Detroit Regional Chamber showed him polling in third place.

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Police commissioner criticizes response to teen takeovers

Teen takeovers are taking place across the country, and one in Detroit ended in the shooting of a 14-year-old boy Sunday.

City officials have responded with stricter curfews and community outreach. But one police commissioner says that approach is not working.

District 3 Police Commissioner Darius Morris is criticizing Mayor Mary Sheffield’s approach to the teen takeovers in downtown Detroit.

After the first teen gathering in April, Sheffield held a news conference with organizers, touting a partnership with the teens to find more appropriate recreational activities.

Morris says when he spoke with organizers of more recent takeovers, he discovered Sheffield’s plan had an unexpected result.

“So I contacted him. I said, ‘Hey, what’s up with what are you doing involved in this? I taught you better than that. Why are you engaged in this?’ And he said, ‘Well, we’re doing it because we’re trying to get exposure and we’re trying to meet the mayor and do a TikTok video like the first group of people did,’” Morris said.

Morris says city officials and police are being forced to do the job parents should be doing, and he wants to see parents take more responsibility for the whereabouts of their children.

Federal judge closes Detroit bankruptcy case

A federal judge has closed Detroit’s bankruptcy case, ending almost 13 years of court supervision.

The ruling comes as the city makes final payments to unsecured creditors totaling about $10 million.

Detroit filed for Chapter 9 protection in 2013. The process allowed the city to shed about $7 billion in debt and restructure another $3 billion.

Mayor Mary Sheffield thanked the city’s financial and legal teams, as well as retirees who went about 10 years without pension payments. The city resumed those payments four years ago.

Traffic pattern changes underway at Belle Isle

Visitors to Belle Isle will notice traffic pattern changes underway.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced traffic pattern changes and a new two-way bike lane on the island. The changes were recommended in the 2025 Belle Isle Park multimodal mobility plan.

Central Avenue will transition to two-way traffic from Picnic Way to Portage Way.

Central Avenue’s scenic route through the flatwoods will flip from eastbound to westbound to help ease traffic congestion near the beach area.

A new dedicated two-way bicycle track will loop around the perimeter of the island, allowing cyclists to circle the entire island without crossing vehicle traffic lanes.

Construction on the changes has already started. The project is expected to be completed by the first week of June.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.