{"id":19982,"date":"2017-04-10T10:36:27","date_gmt":"2017-04-10T10:36:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/?post_type=blogpost&amp;p=19982"},"modified":"2017-04-10T10:36:27","modified_gmt":"2017-04-10T10:36:27","slug":"storytelling-challenge-4-partnership-belle-isle-conservancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/storytelling-challenge-4-partnership-belle-isle-conservancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Storytelling | Challenge #4 in Partnership with Belle Isle Conservancy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For our fourth challenge, fellows partnered with the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.belleisleconservancy.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Belle Isle Conservancy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, whose mission is to protect, preserve, restore and enhance the natural environment, historic structures and unique character of Belle Isle as a public park for all to enjoy \u00a0&#8211; now and forever. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Fellows were asked, \u201cHow might we creatively convey facts and stories about Detroit\u2019s compelling assets on Belle Isle in order to enhance the park experience and foster a greater appreciation and emotional connection?\u201d They conquered the question in four teams, each focusing on a distinct aspect of Belle Isle: the Aquarium, the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory, the James Scott Memorial Fountain, and the Mesic Wetlands Flatwoods.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<style>\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 50%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-19982 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-medium'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/fountainteam\/\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/FountainTeam-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-19990\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/FountainTeam-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/FountainTeam-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/FountainTeam-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-19990'>\n\t\t\t\tFrom left to right, fellows Jarrett Waddy, Mariisa Franz, Laura Winningham, Myka Watts, and Ian McCain, James Scott Memorial Fountain Team\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/belle-isle-aquarium\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Belle-Isle-Aquarium-300x225.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-19991\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Belle-Isle-Aquarium-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Belle-Isle-Aquarium-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Belle-Isle-Aquarium-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-19991'>\n\t\t\t\tThe Belle Isle Aquarium\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/kendraconservatory\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/KendraConservatory-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-19987\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/KendraConservatory-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/KendraConservatory-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/KendraConservatory-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-19987'>\n\t\t\t\tFellow Kendra Ollis, Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory Team\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/mesicwetlandflatwoodsteam\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/MesicWetlandFlatwoodsTeam-300x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-19988\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/MesicWetlandFlatwoodsTeam-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/MesicWetlandFlatwoodsTeam-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/MesicWetlandFlatwoodsTeam-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-19988'>\n\t\t\t\tFrom left to right, Jeff Lewis III, Ryan Hebert, Peter Walle, Alicia Blake, and Lauren Strauss, Mesic Wetland Flatwoods Team\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our challenge began with a deep dive into the Belle Isle Conservancy. We learned from Brittany, Stephanie, and Michele that the park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, whose work can also be found in New York\u2019s Central Park and Boston\u2019s Emerald Necklace. Two of our featured assets, the aquarium, and conservatory, were designed by the famous architect, Albert Kahn. Teams were then sent to explore Belle Isle for themselves, using a self-guided tour and map as guidance. But one of the biggest lessons for the Conservancy was that it was hard to navigate Belle Isle, even with the map, because the map didn\u2019t denote which of the roads were one way, lacked parking lots, and completely eliminated the forest! \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_19989\" style=\"width: 460px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-19989\" class=\"wp-image-19989\" src=\"http:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/fullsizeoutput_309e-300x160.jpeg\" width=\"450\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/fullsizeoutput_309e-300x160.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/fullsizeoutput_309e-1024x548.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/fullsizeoutput_309e-768x411.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-19989\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fellows Jarret Waddy, Mariisa Franz, Laura Winningham and Ian McCain uncover insights from their interviews during a design thinking session<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teams spent the next three weeks interviewing family, friends, and people they met on Belle Isle for the first time to gather over 30 stories! After capturing interviews, teams participated in a design thinking session to uncover any themes or major ideas associated with their particular Belle Isle spots.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Aquarium team discovered the significance of their asset and the reason it was refurbished: to allow memories to be passed along for generations to come. \u00a0The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory team discovered a tropical escape within the city of Detroit. The Scott Fountain team discovered a getaway from the getaway, a place for reflection. And the Mesic Wetland Flatwoods team discovered a beautiful natural system that, just like the Detroit neighborhoods, needs to be preserved so that its diversity can thrive. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The memories and feelings that surround Belle Isle are powerful. Sharing this emotional connection that Detroiters have with Belle Isle with all who visit will allow newcomers to understand the island, and allow people who have been coming to the island for years to learn something new. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each team gave the Belle Isle Conservancy all of the video footage, photographs, and audio files they collected over the course of the five weeks. To help the Conservancy sort through that wealth of media, each team identified two videos they felt told the most compelling stories. Finally, the teams each wrote a historical context to be featured on the Belle Isle Conservancy website. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We saw teams really engage with the Detroit community throughout this challenge, and they had a great time doing so! We\u2019re so proud of the work they accomplished, and can\u2019t wait to see how these storytelling contributions will affect visitors of the Belle Isle Conservancy!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This blog was written by fellows <a href=\"http:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/fellow\/anneduerr\">Annie Duerr<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/fellow\/poonamnarotam\">Poonam Narotam<\/a> who were Project Coordination Leads for this challenge.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For our fourth challenge, fellows partnered with the Belle Isle Conservancy, whose mission is to protect, preserve, restore and enhance the natural environment, historic structures and unique character of Belle Isle as a public park for all to enjoy \u00a0&#8211; now and forever. Fellows were asked, \u201cHow might we creatively convey facts and stories about [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":105,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19982","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-givedetroit","category-workdetroit"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19982","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/105"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19982"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19982\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19982"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19982"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.challengedetroit.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19982"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}