Does anyone remember ice skating at Belle Isle?

I remember as a child a great deal of my time during the winter was spent on the ice skating or playing broom ball. Broom ball is a sport similar to hockey only instead of a puck you chase a round ball and instead of ice skates you wear special rubber-soled shoes. Sometimes my friends and I would plan to meet at the ice arena in town. Other times I would head for a nearby pond and skate with whoever happened to be there. If I had a friend spending the weekend I might plan something adventurous -- such as skating along the river from our house to Lake St. Clair. It took some doing -- as it was more than a few miles to the lake and someone had to be around to drive us back -- but it was always worth it. It was a good workout and a great way to spend time with a friend.

Around here, I am told, Belle Isle was the popular spot for ice skating.


My mother-in-law said she loved spending the day there. On Saturday mornings (usually sunny Saturdays) she would wake up early and make a big pot of soup and a stack of meatloaf sandwiches. Then she and her children (all seven of them) would pack the car with their ice skates and picnic lunch along with a few warm blankets and a Thermos of hot chocolate and head to Belle Isle for a full day of ice skating.


I wonder?

Do people still go skating at Belle Isle?

If not, where do people go?