A crowdfunding campaign has been launched for an improvement project in Bridgman. The Greater Bridgman Area Chamber and Growth Alliance’s Tara Heiser told us this week they’re looking to spruce up the Bridgman Courtyard, a space on Lake Street, for community gatherings. The courtyard was started in 2020 as a way for people to get together safely outdoors. Right now, it features seating, tables, and umbrellas. They’re planning to add more.
“It will be a wooden pergola structure with bistro lights hanging from it, and they’re also bring in a new electrical source, and then we’ll be pouring all new concrete because the structure need to be pretty far deep into the ground to ensure its safety and longevity,” Heiser said.
Heiser says they’ll also work with Bridgman High School art students to paint a mural on the ground when the new pavement is in. So far, a summer concert series has been held at the courtyard, and she says even more could be done if the crowdfunding campaign is successful. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation will match up to $50,000 raised, meaning if the $50,000 campaign is successful, the project will have $100,000. As of Friday, they’d raised more than $12,000.
