Ludington council expected to deny pianos in parks.

February 25, 2018

Ludington council expected to deny pianos in parks.

#MasonCountyNews.

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

LUDINGTON — The City Council is expected to deny a request by Ludrock to place pianos at Waterfront Park and Rotary Park  during its regular meeting Monday. Ludrock President Ed Santarelli had made the request to place the pianos, as part of the Ludington Street Pianos project, at the pavilion at Waterfront Park and at the band shell at Rotary Park during the non-winter months for public use and that the city store in the pianos in the winter and place them back in the park each spring. Several pianos are already placed around town, including in front of House of Flavors restaurant adjacent to Rotary Park, and in downtown locations.

The city’s Parks Committee has recommended the council deny the request based on the following reasons:

  • There is concern that kids would climb on the pianos and get hurt, which would potentially expose the city to liability.
  • There is concern about the noise that would generate at potentially any hour of the day or night by people playing the pianos.
  • The city does not have sufficient storage space to store the pianos, including if they have to be moved to make room for a special events.

“Music draws people,” Santarelli wrote to the Council. “The positive energy that flows from seeing people enjoying themselves in public is invigorating and contagious. It’s such a simple concept that brings out the best in people. It binds our community.”

City Manager John Shay, in a memo to Mayor Kaye Holman and the City Council is recommending the Council go along with the Parks Committee’s recommendation to deny the request.

The City Council meets Monday, Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 400 S. Harrison St.

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