Whenever it gets freakin' warm again and you're walking along the Common, stop by Brewer Fountain Plaza at the corner of Tremont and Park streets. It's been redone by the Friends of the Public Garden in a big, big way. Andrew Ryan at The Globe says the plaza may, in fact, "change what it means to be a park in Boston." Why? How? A piano, silly. And this one goes to 11:
The most innovative new attraction to Brewer Fountain Plaza is the piano, which is an Ivers & Pond model built in 1885. The instrument must be stowed each night in a secure place near the Frog Pond, so a traditional piano would be difficult to keep in tune because of the bumpy foot paths and the fluctuating humidity... To make it outdoor friendly, the piano was gutted and outfitted with a high-end Roland electronic keyboard, an eight-channel mixer, and a professional speaker system, all powered by a solar panel. The instrument can act as an amplifier, allowing several other instruments to plug in.
The revamped plaza also includes complimentary magazines and newspapers as well as boards to borrow for chess and backgammon. Next up for the Friend of the Public Garden? Lafayette Mall, the cracked path along Tremont.
· Brewer Fountain Plaza Reopens as Historic Area Gets Facelift [Globe]