Finding a place to store a piano they don't have struck a chord of disharmony around the Port Moody council table Tuesday night.
Staff had previously been asked to report back to council on the feasibility of constructing a piano storage room at Inlet Theatre. While staff suggested the costs could be considerable, the report indicated there are several unknown components and $10,000 would be needed to hire a consultant to provide further details on the costs of constructing a storage room.
"Do we have a piano?" asked Coun. Diana Dilworth, receiving a reply of no. "Until we have a piano, maybe we shouldn't be looking at spending tens of thousands of dollars on looking at where to store it."
Coun. Gerry Nuttall downplayed staff's recommendation to hire a consultant and instead suggested staff come back with a report that would look at displaying a piano in the galleria.
"I find it impossible to believe that the city of the arts can't find a place to put a piano," he said.
Coun. Zoe Royer endorsed the proposal to display a piano in the galleria, saying "It would fill the space with glorious music." That motion failed and the report was simply received for information.
"These pianos, some of them can be worth over $200,000 and you don't put them out in the galleria. We have a wedding or event in that galleria every weekend," said Mayor Mike Clay, adding the piano would have to be rolled outside and then brought onto the stage at a cost of more than $1,000 per event.
