Walkable commons envisioned for Belle Isle

• Popular spots like the aquarium and beach are just a 15-minute walk apart, but many visitors drive between them, or hit one spot and leave.

Driving the news: Park leaders, including Belle Isle Conservancy CEO Meagan Elliott, gave a presentation to the City Council on Tuesday about the latest plans for the city's island gem.

State of play: The conservancy and the state, which operates the park, are wrapping up a preliminary design this month for the Belle Isle Commons, an area that would be a central point to make the island feel more connected.

• They plan to get public input on the idea this summer to flesh it out and then create something more concrete, Elliott said.
• More details on what the commons would look like are yet to come.

What they're saying: "We want to create some opportunities to actually make the space more usable and accessible for everyone in between those moments," Elliott said.

• "So if you come to start your day at the conservatory, you can actually walk over to the gardens, walk along the canals, you can even walk to the beach."