A CROWD-funding campaign has started to repair a piano destroyed by vandals in the Cleveland CBD.
Alexandra Hills resident and piano repair man Dan Ling, who donated the instrument to council, said he had started the funding because Redland City Council staff were too slow to move on the project.
Mr Ling said he set up the page on Friday night and by Monday night it had raised $280, with local politicians Andrew Laming, Don Brown and Kim Richards all donating.
He said he was disappointed that council left the piano out at night on the street and that it was slow to act on the damage which occurred early last month.
“All they do is talk. They don’t want to deal with it,” he said.
“If they can’t arrange how to get a piano fixed, how will they be able to arrange the Toondah Harbour redevelopment with all the boxes that need to be ticked there?
“Council staff are all worried about taking responsibility. All they ever want to do is hold meetings.”
Mr Ling donated the piano in May, after which is was painted by an artist as part of moveable street art.
He offered to build a wheeled frame so the piano could easily be pushed in and out of the council building at night to protect it from vandals and inclement weather but this was declined by council.
Mr Ling said he had quoted $1200 for the repair job, which included transport. His offer to build a wheeled frame with brakes remained. “Council staff are worried about the weight of the piano but they are easy to move on wheels,” he said.
After Redland City Bulletin made inquiries, council contacted Mr Ling, telling him that it would pay for repairs.
A council spokeswoman said council advised Mr Ling that the piano would “continue to be left out after hours for the enjoyment of the broader community”.
“In the interests of public safety, council's view remains that the piano, which weighs in excess of 200 kilograms, is too heavy to be allowed to be placed on wheels where it could be moved around by the public.
“Council is also concerned about the health and safety of staff who would be required to move the piano twice a day.”
Mr Ling said he was in his mid-sixties and could easily shift pianos.
With council paying for repairs, he would close the crowd funding page and use that money to tune and maintain the piano through four visits over two years.
“I couldn’t talk them around about leaving it out again but I haven’t given up on that,” he said.
“Iunderstand workplace health and safety issues but a photocopier would be harder to move than that piano.”