(UPDATED) EXCLUSIVE: Oval Park Piano May Have Been Removed as Trash; Not Stolen

[Update: Following is confirmation from a Parks Department spokesperson that the piano was discarded, not stolen: “Parks workers unknowingly discarded the piano which appeared to have been vandalized and was lying on its side. We were just alerted to this today and we send our apology to the community and sing for hope if any trouble was caused by this.”]

According to Deputy Inspector Joseph Dowling, commander of the 52nd Precinct, witnesses interviewed by detectives said that a sanitation truck removed the now-famous, presumed-stolen Sing for Hope piano from near the tennis courts on Williamsbridge Oval, thinking it was a discarded instrument. (A new piano was donated to the community Wed. night, and painted by children yesterday, with the help of the Friends of Williamsbridge Oval, Mosholu Preservation Corp., and community residents.)

We're still waiting for comment from the Parks Department press office, and Dowling said the accounts still needed to be confirmed.

An unfortunate bureaucratic snafu if true (we'll let you know as we find out more), but think of the multiple bright sides this Independence Weekend people: no heartless neighborhood thief stealing music from the children; an indefinite period of public piano playing since Sing for Hope was supposed to retrieve the original piano this weekend; and what better illustration of how awesome the Norwood community is?

Have a great, safe Fourth everyone!

Piano for Public to Arrive in Oval Park on June 18

Last summer, as part of the Sing for Hope program, a piano arrived in Sachkerah Woods Playground in the Norwood section of Van Cortlandt Park (see photo above by David Greene). This year, the destination is Williambridge Oval. It was supposed to appear near the new playground on June 18, but some final punch-list construction items under way there (the Parks Department says the playground, spray showers, and basketball courts, will be open by the end of June) make that location unlikely. The Parks Department tells us though that the piano is definitely Oval bound, and though they won't know the location until the last minute, it may go in front of the benches at the Reservoir Oval West entrance.

Unfortunately, last year, the pianos suffered from vandalism in two Bronx Parks, including Sachkerah Woods. Let's hope the tune plays out more joyfully this year.

(Thanks to BxNN reader Lis for her comment on a previous post, which led to our calling the Parks Dept. for more info.)