Staff reporter
After spending the better part of the last three decades in the Iola Hall, a vintage piano has found a new home in a Rimbey retail outlet, but it wasn’t an easy job to get it there.
With the use of a picker truck, the Featherston piano was hauled into the downtown area last week and carefully placed inside the West Country Decor outlet on 50th Ave.
“I purchased it through a donation to the Iola Hall. It’s been in the hall since the early 1980’s and because of the moisture in the hall and because a new hardwood floor was just put in, we wanted it out of there,” said storeowner Deneen Evans who is also a member of the hall’s board. “It’s not in very good working order and we offered it up for people to purchase it, but I think it has a pretty good home here so I ended up brining it to the store.”
After a bit of investigative research on the part of Evans, it was discouvered that the purchase of the piano was first discussed at a meeting if the Iola Hall board in November of 1982 when it was agreed that if finances allowed, the purchase would be approved.
A subsequent meeting called for the establishment of a separate fund for donations and shortly after, the late Lloyd Soderberg-a man known for his ability to be a shrewd bargainer-found what the hall was looking for and the purchase was made.
Where exactly the hall’s piano came from is still a mystery however according to The Canadian Encyclopedia, Featherston pianos were built in Montreal from 1893 to 1899 making this particular model at least 110 years-old.
“Even though it was only in the 1980’s when they last used it, I remember it being used for Christmas concerts and the kids would come in and play it,” said Evans who has been the board’s secretary for the past several years. “But it wouldn’t stay tuned with the cold in the winter and humidity in the summer.”
After some renovations and improvements were made to the hall, including a new hardwood floor, the board opted to put it up for sale rather than risking scratching the new floor with the piano’s wheels.
Following several unsuccessful attempts at landing a sale, the piano ended up in the foyer of the hall until its trip to Rimbey last week. Luckily for Evans, her husband is part owner of a picker truck so there was no charge for the delivery.
It didn’t take very long for the piano to get noticed in the store, as within just a few moments of being placed inside, a woman was already eager to ‘tickle the ivory’.
“I had a lady who was looking around the store and she stayed until it was placed in the corner and opened it up and started playing, so that was interesting,” Evans said. “It is definitely out of tune and some of the keys stuck, but considering that, it didn’t sound too bad at all.”
With the theme of the store revolving around a turn-of-the-century home complete with a kitchen, family room, bedroom and even a decorative outhouse for effect, Evans said she is considering adding a music room, which will feature the piano as the centerpiece.
Either way, she would like to assure the public in general, and the membership of the hall in particular, that the piano is in good hands.
“I want the members of the Iola Hall to know that the piano will be well looked after and the day I maybe close or the day I cannot house it any more, then I will make sure it finds a good home,” Evans said.
If any member of the public can provide more information about the piano, or would simply like to check it out, Evans said she’d like to hear from you. The piano, and the shop, are located at 4909B 50th Ave. in Rimbey.