After a 2 ½ month closure that rendered downtown Brighton all but lifeless, the new and improved Imagination Station reopened on Wednesday. A grand reopening celebration is scheduled for today.

Hosted by Oh My Lolli!, the festivities begin at 11 a.m. and will feature games, activities and freebies from local businesses. The event is free and open to the public.

The reopening follows 2 ½ weeks of renovations overseen by Corrigan Construction. Corrigan started the project a day after Brighton City Council approved an $80,129 contract on October 6.

“I'm thrilled,” Brighton resident Corrine Thomas, who visited the park earlier this week with her daughter, said. “They did an awesome job.”

Except for a few still-missing chimes, the entire park has been restored. Loose screws were tightened, rusted chains were replaced, and splintered, rotted, and dilapidated wood was removed.

The renovations also addressed the elevated arsenic levels that led to the park's closure in August. Following the guidelines of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Corrigan Construction installed a protective barrier over the contaminated soil and spread a fresh coat of mulch over the entire playground. Any potentially hazardous wood was sealed to prevent further leaching.

The results—a two-toned mix of old and new wood coupled with plans for the park's proper upkeep—demonstrate Brighton's willingness to embrace the past, celebrate the present, and look forward to the future.