Three waymarking posts in a row! Yes, I know this is a quilt blog, but Spring is magnificent here in Michigan! I promise, as you're reading these, I'm working on my next SKoW blocks!
The Belle Isle Aquarium was built in 1904 by the famed architect Albert Kahn. It was the oldest-operating aquarium until the City of Detroit closed it for budgetary reasons.
Last Fall, I helped with the "moving of the Koi" from the pond to the basement for the winter. Click
here to see some of my favorite aquarium pictures. This past Saturday, with the help of my nephew's Scout pack, we moved them back out!
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| Scouts on bucket brigade! |
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| Look! We have some! |
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| What do you mean I have to give them back? I just caught them! |
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| My nephew Andrew said, "This was the coolest thing ever!" |
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| You can see them now. Eventually, they will add water plants such as water lilies. |
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| Many of these koi are more than 50 years old! This guy is the oldest. |
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| Tank is filling up! |
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| Things are taking shape. |
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| Job well done! |
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| Can you believe it? These are the leaders? |
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| Another view of the pond and conservatory. |
Volunteers have been working for years to maintain the building and take care of the decorative goldfish and Japanese koi. They have also been working diligently to get the aquarium re-opened again. They've joined with 3 other Belle Isle volunteer groups to form the Belle Isle Conservancy. And, in May, the 100+ year old roof is being replaced.
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| Slowly, some of the inside tanks are getting new residents. |
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| This guy is looking forward to the future! |
Thank you for sharing my day!
Elisa
Do you think it will re-open? I loved that place so much, one of the prettiest places I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a more determined group of people. The new roof goes on next month, and they already have sponsors filling some of the tanks!
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