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The Giant Slide on Belle Isle, which became the butt of jokes—even on late-night TV—back in 2022, is reopening for the summer season on Friday.
In August 2022, Deadline Detroit wrote:
When the Giant Slide at Belle Isle in Detroit reopened last Friday after a lengthy Covid hiatus, the first brave souls to climb the stairs and pay $1 came down almost violently. The slide was so slick that riders were launched into the air on the bumps, drawing a crowd shooting videos that went viral.
The Free Press then reported:
On Monday night's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," guest host Lamorne Morris did a segment on the Giant Slide. "It's only a dollar, right, but the contusions will last a lifetime," he joked as video footage showed young riders briefly going airborne before rough landings.
Morris also referred to the new Giant Slide song from Detroit rapper Gmac Cash. ... A sample lyric: "It's like jumping off a roof/On the Giant Slide. Man, you can lose a tooth/On the Giant Slide."
Noting the opening, "Wayne County Wire," a satirical site on Facebook, which bills itself as "Your #1 Fake News Source in Wayne County," writes:
Detroit’s most iconic, least-insured thrill ride has officially reopened for the summer season, as the Belle Isle Giant Slide welcomes back locals, tourists, and emergency personnel alike this Memorial Day weekend.
Officials say the slide is “structurally fine” and “as safe as it’s going to get.” While no significant improvements were made to the infamous 40-foot-tall, metal velocity trap, Parks and Recreation did reportedly “wipe it down with a wet nap.”
The slide will stay open through Labor Day. Hours are: Fridays 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
