Brighton’s planned Mill Pond bandshell and amphitheater project may have some rough sledding ahead.

At Thursday night’s City Council meeting, Mayor Jim Muzzin said that a major private donation for the project – which was earlier reported to be $500,000 - will be only $100,000, spread out in increments of $20,000 over five years. That will make the matter of financing more difficult, with the need for a larger contribution from the city through its Downtown Development Authority. Muzzin says it wasn’t the donor’s fault. Rather, he tells WHMI, it was a “miscommunication” to the DDA, which is spearheading the project.

On Monday, the Planning Commission tabled action on the Mill Pond site plan because of unanswered questions and vocal opposition by a large group of people concerned about the recommended destruction of four mature shade trees. The near-capacity crowd was told the trees had to be removed because the room was needed for a large bandshell which is to replace the existing gazebo. In addition, two trees – both of them black locusts – are not native to Michigan and therefore are considered “invasive species.”

Whether the revelation of a smaller-than-expected private donation, combined with the tree issue, will delay the project is unknown at this point. But if approval of an amended project plan is pushed back into the fall, with the end of construction season approaching, it would likely be delayed until next year. (TT)