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3| The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,M ay 24,2018 theifp.ca It wasn't the prettiest looking item on the block, but to many Acton resi- dents, that didn't matter. Chris Latour, owner of C Sharp Music Academy in downtown Acton, put the old piano outside his music school in 2017. Sitting at the corner of Mill Street East and Willow Street North, the piano was left with one purpose in mind: to give the public a chance to play. And they did. Now, after being outside for a long, cold winter, the piano is barely functioning at all. In an effort to keep the piano for a few months longer, Latour had pur- chased some paint and had planned to give the old in- strument a good coat and turn it into a planter box for the warm months ahead. But before he could go ahead with his piano reju- venation plan, he received a complaint through the BIA. So, he took to Facebook to disclose his plans for the withering piano and to find out just how many resi- dents felt it was an eyesore. And to his surprise, he re- ceived an outpouring of support. "Please keep it!" one res- ident said. "Please do the planter, forget those negative peo- ple," another chimed in. After dozens of positive messages began flowing in, Latour decided to keep with his original plan. "People don't exactly come in here and say, 'Hey, I love your old piano out there,' and I don't expect them too," Latour said. "So, once I got a complaint from the town, my first thought was, 'Well, if one person's complaining there's proba- bly 50 others who don't like it. They're just not saying anything.' But I figured out very quickly, that was not the case." Throughout his musical career, Latour has received at least 15 pianos, and he says he tries his best to find a home for each and every one. "Pianos show up here all the time and I try to find a use for them," Latour said, gesturing to his office desk, which is also a repurposed piano. He says he tries his best to fix any broken ones, of- tentimes with the help of his piano tuner. As for the curbside pia- no, Latour has now painted it chalkboard black. He says he hopes to have resi- dents stop by throughout the next few months and decorate it with their own personal flair. COMMUNITY Chris Latour shows off his newly painted piano - ready for some flowers. Veronica Appia/Metroland Acton music teacher strikes a chord with curbside piano VERONICA APPIA vappia@metroland.com Spring is back, and so is our 13th Annual Super Spring SpecialFINAL WEEK ! - Oil & Filter and complete top to bottom check over (Includes up to 5 litres regular oil. Synthetic oil is extra.) - Installation of summer tires (already on rims) included. - $5.00 Tim's Card - Windshield Washer Fluid eXTraS $4995Call for anAppointment+HST 45 Mountainview Road North, Georgetown, Ontario 905.877.7958 e-mail: hassellsauto@bellnet.ca • www.hassellautomotive.comSALES & SERVICE 4995 Only Visit us for In-Store Specials.... some at prices lower than 30 years ago! 330 GUELPH ST.,GEORGETOWN (opposite Canadian Tire) 905-877-0596 • millersscottishbakery.com CELEBRATING 30 YEARS! GEORGETOWN GARDEN CENTRE 140 GUELPH ST. 905-877-8882 A family run business since 1972! OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK GIFT CARDS HANGING BASKETS 10" & 12" Baskets Huge Selection of Huge Variety FINISHED ACCENT PLANTERS INSTANT COLOUR $1.99 25 LbagTOPSOILfor or$2.79eachHERBS $1.79 4 Pk. Flowering & Vegetable Plants FOR THE GARDEN Full vibrant flowers from cuttings, not seeds! or $2.79 each Geraniums 10 $25FOR • Hibiscus • Gardenia • Mandervillea • Bougainvillea & many more EXOTIC FLOWERS Large assortment of 4" Plant Stuffers $2610 10 for $26 or $2.79 each Looking for summer work? Cal l us today!