By Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com


All indications are that, with the recent outflowing of support from the community, the Brighton Classic Cars on Main St. will be back soon, and better than ever. A meeting on Thursday drew an overflow crowd as Kiwanis members and 16 guests showed up to brainstorm and determine what could be done to resurrect the weekly summer attraction, which the Kiwanis announced on July 16th was being suspended due to numerous problems.

Kiwanis Immediate Past President Dennis Dimoff said after the meeting, “It was great to have such a good response,” adding it’s important to bring the Classic Cars show back “because it really affects the economy of downtown.”

The Classic Cars show - held in conjunction with the Mill Pond concerts at the AMP, had been a staple of summers in Brighton for many years, but in the last couple of years had become so popular that there hasn’t been enough space for all the cars. The area where the cars are angle parked spans only a few blocks, and lately there have been up to 150 vehicles on display, with some of the owners arriving late and others leaving after the official hours of the car show (6-8 p.m.) - both of which cause problems in policing.

Yet another problem has been that a 20-foot lane in the middle of Main St. is required in order for emergency vehicles to get through, and that has been routinely violated. Other violations have been moving barricades to park a vehicle, parking outside the desiganated area and even parking in intersections.

If the Kiwanis proposal is accepted, the city would agree to allow the club to use the municipal parking lot next to city hall, where the Saturday Farmer’s Market is held, for overflow classic car parking. Dimofff says these people would be allowed to leave at any time so as not to cause any disruptions.

Dimoff tells WHMI that as a result of Thursday's meeting he now has committments from 40 people willing to volunteer their time in directing traffic and other duties. Dimoff says he is now in the process of, in his words, “writing a proposal for the city in which (the club) would be able to resume the Classic Cars show on Sunday, July 31st.”

Dimoff says he is hoping for a quick response from City Council so the car show can be brought back as soon as possible.