TR DDA breaks ground on new downtown amphitheater

By Robert Tomlinson
News Director

THREE RIVERS — Shovels were dug into the ground for the first time this week on a new project in downtown Three Rivers.
An official groundbreaking event for a new amphitheater in downtown Three Rivers was held Wednesday morning at its future home east of Joshua Drive, attended by a number of dignitaries from the city, local business, and even the Governor’s office.
Wednesday’s event was the official kickoff for construction of the amphitheater, which will cost at least $1.46 million and be located on approximately 1.7 acres east of the east parking lot in downtown. The amphitheater is expected to be 40 feet by 50 feet, with lawn seating for 500 people, ADA parking, bathrooms, crosswalks, and storm water basins on each side of the stage to be constructed as part of the project. The structure is also slated to be just outside of the 100-year flood plain area near the river.
Construction will be done by local contractor Brussee/Brady, and is expected to be done by the end of the year, with a target of September.
“This amphitheater is more than just a stage, it’s a space for music, arts and community gathering,” Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Angie Metty said. “It represents our commitment to creating a vibrant, welcoming space that brings people together.”
The project was funded in part from a $1.79 million grant award from the Michigan Strategic Fund’s Public Gathering Spaces Initiative, of which $175,861 (nearly 10 percent of the cost) was paid for by the DDA via a loan from the city. Metty thanked a number of people, including representatives from the city, for their efforts in helping get the project going.
DDA Board Chair Charlie Wolgamood read a letter from Mayor Tom Lowry, who could not be in attendance, which stated his excitement for the project.
“This groundbreaking is the culmination of several years of many people working on this project. It’s also the culmination of many people trying to work on using and beautifying our rivers. Let’s let them see its beauty and have a pleasant experience being next to one of the three rivers,” Lowry stated in his letter. “We look forward to spending many afternoons and evenings under the stars listening to music and dancing in beautiful downtown Three Rivers.”
Wolgamood also shared his thoughts on the groundbreaking and the project following the groundbreaking.
“It’s a good day and a hope for the future,” Wolgamood said. “This is important to feed the soul. I’m a big proponent of music and art, and it’s a resource for downtown. It’s another way to raise up the morale level in Three Rivers and give people and families an opportunity to come down here.”
With the state having a hand in funding the project, Carly Swanson, a community engagement specialist for the office of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, read a letter from Whitmer celebrating the upcoming amphitheater.
“With this new addition to your community’s landscape, Three Rivers will have a new and exciting venue to gather for community events and entertainment that will create lasting memories for generations to come,” Whitmer’s letter stated. “We eagerly anticipate the positive impact this venue will have in Three Rivers.”
Former DDA Board Chair Andrew George, who helped spearhead the amphitheater project back when it was discussed in earnest in 2023, said during the presentation it had been an idea back when he first joined the board eight years ago.
“At the very first meeting I had, it was a brainstorming meeting we were having, and I had no clue what I was doing at all. One of the things we were tasked with doing that day was to come up with pie-in-the-sky ideas that we would like to see in downtown Three Rivers. Being a musician, the very first thing I thought of on the very first day in the DDA was, we should have an amphitheater in downtown Three Rivers,” George said. “Did I think it was ever going to happen? No, I thought it was pie-in-the-sky, but a lot of things came together that did make it happen, and we were fortunate enough that it does.”
Overall, Metty said in an interview following the ceremony that the project was an exciting one, and she’s looking forward to seeing it get done.
“It feels like our vision’s finally coming to life,” Metty said. “It’s going to be absolutely exciting; it’ll be a new community gathering space for everyone.”
Robert Tomlinson can be reached at 279-7488 or robert@wilcoxnewspapers.com.