On Friday, the giant slide on Belle Isle Park reopened. It closed last week Friday after receiving widespread notoriety for the wrong reasons.
There were videos of people tumbling and bouncing hard down the slide that went viral last weekend.
My lil sis got on the giant slide at belle isle 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/XeczOBwybu
— Autumn & Myah (@myleafz) August 22, 2022
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources said it made some small adjustments to smoothen and slow down the ride.
Friday, there was nonstop action with a steady stream of riders. Some went down several times, while others backed out.
Some, like 10-year-old Robert Gannon, had a change of heart, backing out when they reached the top.
“I rather check myself before I wreck myself," Gannon said.
It was a smooth ride for most as long as they followed instructions and leaned forward.
“When I went down that time, I like flew. Not really high, even though I was leaning forward,” Piper Brook, 7, said.
Tondia White, who took a hard tumble, said with a laugh, “It was horrible. No, it was.”
Jayden Talbert, a small kid who rotated and bumped his head explained, “I was trying to lean forward but I leaned back, and it was kind of scary.”
Sarah Horton and Jeremy Cohen said they're in Detroit from the East Coast.
“We were scared. I’m not going to lie — going on," Horton chuckled.
"Adrenaline’s pumping and then all of a sudden, you see more news crews. Maybe it’s getting a little more intense than I thought when I first got here," Cohen explained.
Rapper Gmac Cash, who made a song about the slide that’s gone viral, showed up. He said he was preparing to shoot a music video for the song.
“I'm loving the feedback for sure, man," Gmac Cash said.
Nicoli Novak, 53, said, "I think it’s wonderful. I lived in Detroit all my life, and [with] the stigma, and I know some people want to think negative about it, but I think it’s just really fun. I think a lot of fun. I think a lot of us have used the slide in the 70s. Had a great time."
“And so, we’re having a great time — young and old," she added.
Joy Jackson, 62, said, “Amazing time. It takes you back to the child within.”
After working up the courage to ride the slide himself, 7 Action News Reporter Darren Cunningham went twice.
“All in all, it’s a lot of fun. But if you plan to ride the giant slide, be sure to follow instructions and lean forward,” Cunningham said.
The DNR said the slide will be open Fridays through Sundays until Labor Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For each ride down the slide, the DNR charges $1, and all riders must be at least 48 inches tall.
