Pianos on the Street adds new locations in North Vancouver

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NORTH VANCOUVER - Pianos on the Street is a community engagement initiative spearheaded by Pacey’s Pianos and the Piano Teachers Federation and coordinated in North Vancouver by the North Vancouver Recreation & Culture Commission (NVRC). A focal point at outdoor gathering places, the colourful pianos are a catalyst for drawing people together and sparking conversations between strangers.

For the summer of 2016, Pianos on the Street return to the following locations:

  • Civic Plaza at 14th & Lonsdale – in conjunction with the City of North Vancouver
  • Parkgate Community Centre at 3625 Banff Court, District of North Vancouver

Plus, two NEW Pianos on the Street locations include:

  • HOpe Blenz Café at the Lions Gate Hospital HOpe Centre – in conjunction with the North and West Vancouver Branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association
  • Lynn Valley Village, 1277 Lynn Valley Road, District of North Vancouver

As part of the Pianos on the Street program, the pianos are painted by a local community group under the direction of a lead artist. The HOpe Blenz Café piano was painted by participants in the Vancouver Coastal Health art and pottery class lead by NVRC art instructor Sharon Grieg. The HOpe Café is a welcoming gathering place for all people, including people living with a mental health condition. A social enterprise that employs people with “lived experience” of mental illness, the Hope Blenz Café is the first of its kind in British Columbia. The Civic Plaza piano located outside City of North Vancouver Municipal Hall was painted by members of the Sutherland School DiverCity Club and CNV's Studio in the City program with lead artists Sam Nygard and Sierra Tasi Baker. The artists saw the piano project as an opportunity to build awareness for LGBTQ+ issues through art.

A new location this year, the Lynn Valley Village piano was painted by Grade 8 students from the Waldorf School in North Vancouver under the artistic direction of teacher Lori Johnston. The students were thrilled to participate in a project with such
great community benefit. The piano will be a wonderful accompaniment to the Live & Local activities happening in the Village all summer long.

At Parkgate Community Centre, the piano painting was led by local artist and NVRC art instructor Maureen Coles with members of My Parkgate Break, a program for individuals experiencing changes associated with mild to moderate dementia. The
program offers fellowship, fitness, learning and creative opportunities to support and enhance the lives of each individual and their family caregivers.

The North Vancouver Recreation & Culture Commission (NVRC) is coordinator for the Pianos on the Street in four North Vancouver locations. NVRC is dedicated to building healthy individuals, families and communities by providing and facilitating diverse, accessible recreation, arts and cultural opportunities.

For more information about the Pianos on the Street project and contests, visit www.pianosonthestreet.com.

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For more information about the Pianos on the Street project in North Vancouver, contact:

Anne Rodgers, Communications Coordinator
North Vancouver Recreation & Culture Commission
604 983-6346  rodgersa@nvrc.ca