Caledon’s Pan Am positivity lives on through “Play Me, I’m Yours” piano
The Town of Caledon’s Play Me, I’m Yours piano – gifted to the Town by TORONTO2015 two years prior to the Pan Am Games – has found its forever home at White Birch, a day program for adults with special needs in Palgrave.
“When I think of those who benefit from the programs at White Birch being able to enjoy the gift of music with the ‘Play Me’ piano, I’m reminded of how vitally important the Pan Am legacy is for our entire community,” said Mayor Allan Thompson.
Pan Am Games host municipalities had the option to receive a Play Me, I’m Yours piano once the pianos had their time in the streets of Toronto. Each piano was uniquely decorated by an artist from one of the 41 competing countries; Caledon’s was painted by a Bahamian-Toronto artist Ward Minnis. The piano first arrived at the Emil Kolb Atrium at Town Hall where anyone was welcome to play it, and young and old had the chance to entertain themselves or others on the keys.
The commitment was the piano would travel to various Town facilities, going from Town Hall to the Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park for the One Year Countdown to the Games in July 2014, to the Albion Bolton Library Branch where it has lived since March Break 2015. Then Town staff found out that White Birch was looking to start a music program. The piano has now been moved permanently to the White Birch where the music and spirit of the Pan Am Games lives on. The municipal designation budget covered the cost of transportation and tuning.
“Infrastructure, support for athletes, and community development are all admirable legacies of the Pan Am Games, but stories like this shine a whole new light on the value, the spirit and the impact of the Games,” said Laura Johnston, Director of Parks & Recreation, Town of Caledon.
