A gofundme appeal has been launched to repair the Cleveland street piano – Photo: Redland City Bulletin
To repair the Cleveland Library street piano, damaged extensively by vandals a month ago, a crowdfunding plea has been launched through gofundme by Mr Dan Ling.
All 85 piano hammers were snapped by vandals – Photo: Redland City Bulletin
The piano was donated to the community in May 2017 by Mr Ling, a professional piano restorer.
Painted with a bright mural by local artists, the community piano was placed outside the Library by Redland City Council as part of a Cleveland CBD makeover.
For a few months it provided much enjoyment to people of all ages.
In early September the piano was vandalised. All 85 piano hammers were snapped rendering the instrument totally unplayable.
Since then, the piano has been put away in a storeroom.
Repairing the street piano
To get the street piano fixed is estimated to cost about $1,200, including transport to and from the workshop.
Dan Ling has initiated a crowd funding campaign through gofundme to cover the repair costs,
Here is a link to the Cleveland street Piano repair fund
In appealing for community support, Mr Ling says:
Where is our street Piano?
It has been over a month since senseless vandals destroyed this valuable community asset.
This Piano was enjoyed by lots of people, young and old. It brought pleasure to peoples lives. It was donated to the community, and a lot of time and effort was put into not only the Piano but the lovely mural that was painted on it.
We cannot let the vandals win!
In order to get this Piano back in working order, all 85 hammers(the bits that strike the strings and create the sound) need to be replaced as the vandals smashed them all.
Redland City Council seem to be sitting on their hands and won’t do anything. We pay them, yet nothing!
This is a community Piano. I ask you all to donate to this worthy cause. Photos of the Piano being repaired will be posted.
This is OUR Piano! Lets get it fixed and back in Cleveland sooner rather than later so it can once again bring musical pleasure to the community…..
Redlands2030 – 8 October 2017
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3 Comments
Meticulously removing 85 Hammers from a piano seems unusual for vandals and more like someone knew what to do to stop it working. Are there finger prints or anything recorded on CCTV?
Surely the Council can pay the cost of repairing this much loved community piano…only $1200.
But .. I agree with Susan Frampton that if the piano is left out in the open, it will be vandalised again and again. Perhaps a more suitable location can be found….or wheel the piano inside library doors at closing time?
For example, how much time and money at ratepayers expense is it taking council operatives to arrive at a ‘brand’ name for Redland City that I consider to be a frivolous exercise.
Courier Mail have a ‘brand’ name for Gold Coast..’Dodge City’.
What happens when/if the piano is fixed up to stop it happening time and time again? It is not suitable to leave a piano out in all weathers and it would lose its correct tune very quickly.