Stakeholder Input for Redeveloping Belle Isle Park Old Zoo Area

NCI facilitated a series of online engagements for a partnership between the Michigan Department of Natural Resource’s Parks and Recreation Division (DNR) and the Landscape Architecture (LA) program at Michigan State University’s School of Planning, Design and Construction (SPDC) to gather stakeholder input on redeveloping the Belle Isle Park old zoo area.

SPDC has a long-standing partnership with the DNR wherein design studios allow Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design students to gain practical experience in proposing and creating solutions for projects identified by the DNR. For the fall 2021 semester, the DNR proposed the site of the Old Zoo at Belle Isle Park for consideration. The DNR sought to receive some stakeholder input on a vision and design elements for this area of Belle Isle to inform the students’ design work.

NCI facilitated a vision workshop for about 15 stakeholders to develop six overarching and broad themes that were used as design goals by student design teams. NCI provided a facilitation guide and training to DNR staff (3) and MSU students (19) so they could assist in facilitation roles in the following Stakeholder Input Session where 20 people identified specific design preferences, elements and criteria for the Belle Isle Old Zoo. NCI facilitated the students’ final presentation and then developed and analyzed a survey to capture additional feedback on the designs by a more public audience.