Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com

The new fire pit in downtown Brighton, which was installed as an important amenity in the $6 million Streetscape project, is back in operation.

The fire pit, located at Mill Pond Park on West Main St., was disabled shortly after it opened. However, it has been repaired and is functioning once again. City Manager Gretchen Gomolka says the fire pit was installed for the enjoyment of downtown visitors, and can be operated by the citizens themselves, “so everybody can enjoy the warmth and ambiance it brings."

The fire pit was damaged in April when someone broke the ignition switch. Gomolka says it could have been either accidental or intentional. One difference with the re-opened fire pit is that it is now covered. As Gomolka put it, "The city DPW added a protective new screen for additional safety, to reduce the risk of the ignitor being damaged in the future."

The fire pit uses ceramic logs and lava rocks that are fueled by natural gas, and works on a timer. It also has an emergency stop button. Gomolka says the button should only be used when there is a true emergency, because that makes it harder to turn the fire pit back on.

The city has established summer hours of 7pm-midnight for the fire pit, with future seasonal hours yet to be determined. Gomolka adds that the city is “working on creating signage that will provide helpful information.”

The city has issued a list of “do’s and don'ts" which are displayed at the site. They are:
- To operate, spin the timer dial to turn on the fire pit.
- Once the timer is set, there will be a 15 to 20 second delay before the fire ignites.
If the fire does not ignite after the delay, ensure that the emergency shut-off has not been activated. To check, twist the red circle switch. Spin the timer back to zero. Give the emergency stop button a twist to the right to release and turn the timer back on.
- Don’t sit on the small ledge directly surrounding the fire. The metal is very hot.
- Don’t touch the metal screen. It may be hot, even if the fire isn't currently on.
- Don’t place foreign objects into the fire pit, including food (Sorry, but no marshmallow roasting), trash (including cigarette butts), or real wood logs.
- Do enjoy with family and friends.
Do take advantage of the photo opportunity.