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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 2015-06-17, Page 22 Lucknow Sentinel • Wednesday, June 17, 2015 Britt Gregg -Wallace spoke on behalf of Alice Munro during the ceremony to rename the library in Wingham as the Alice Munro Public Library. Behind Britt Gregg -Wallace from left: Meighan Wark, County Library Director of Cultural Services and Master of Ceremonies; Sue Steip, Wingham Friends of the Library; Neil Vincent, Reeve of Township of North Huron; Jim Fergusson, Chair, Huron County Library Board. June 6, 2015. The ribbon cutting ceremony to rename the Wingham branch of the Huron County Library as the Alice Munro Public Library took place on Saturdy, June 6 during the Alice Munro Festival of the Short Story. From left: Neil Vincent, Reeve of Township of North Huron; Sue Steip Wingham Friends of the Library; Jim Fergusson, Chair, Huron County Library Board. Buttons the clown brightened up the children's section of the ibrary in Wingham following the reception to rename the branch the Alice Munro Public Library. Cameron VanderWal watches Buttons paint his sister Olivia's face while waiting his turn. June 6, 2015. Valerie Gillies/Lucknow Sentinel Ene McGregor cut the cake made by New Start Bakery in Wingham at the reception following the renaming of the branch to Alice Munro Public Library. June 6, 2015. Wingham renames branch the Alice Munro Public Library Valerie Gillies Lucknow Sentinel The Wmgham branch of the Huron County Library was renamed Alice Munro Public Library on June 6, 2015 as part of the Alice Munro Festival of the Short Story. Meighan Wark, Huron County Library Director of Cultural Services reports that .1 MAN Urel. Dr.VITAFFLITVW4 D iVECLL.i..,'fx I.'(Pt.• ACOMPLI IT LINE OFcAsUAL FURfti'ITI:H Is TO COMPLIMENT ALL .IKASOF'YOUR HOME{. For outdoors, patios,ga9!rfle'dt areas, ;. uotroows. We rJfwrr ono rraiam:irare ur•J•ri p.r r dt raAl? rrfrIrs. Monday - Friday 9;B0 - S.rJIJ Saturday 10:00 - 4:00 ii;•':nur�51 �:.of{rs " 519-238-2110 www.gocasuaLea the Friends of the Wingham Library approached the Huron County Library Board and suggested the name change. Alice Munro was raised in the Wingham area and the Friends of the Library wanted to honour her sup- portiveness of the library and her works. The Huron County Library was thrilled to be a part of making this happen, but could not have done it without the support of Huron County and the Municipality of North Huron. Wark exclaimed, "We are so lucky to live in Alice Munro Country!" Alice Munro was born on July 10, 1931 and was raised on a Wingham area farm. Ates Chad Mann 519-357-3015 www.kruzinmannlimos.com A Division of Lloyd Collins Construction Ltd. [Tia. W=i RU ii She studied English at the University of Western Ontario. In 1951 she married James Munro and moved to Victoria, British Columbia, where they raised three chil- dren and co -owned a book- shop. Her first book of short stories was published in 1968. Munro moved back to Ontario after her divorce in 1972 as a writer -in -residence at the University of Western Ontario. She later was writer - in -residence at the Univer- sity of British Columbia and the University of Queens- land. She remarried in 1976 and moved with her hus- band, Gerald Fremlin, to Clinton. Munro was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature on December 10, 2013. Sue Steep, vice president of the Friends of the Wingham Library remarked that the Short Story Competition held by the Alice Munro Festival of the Short Story drew entries from across Canada. During her speech she stated that the Friends of the Library sug- gested the renaming to recog- nize the achievements of a small town girl who loved the library, spending much of her youth at the Wmgham branch. Steep believes that this renam- ing ceremony is, "also celebrat- ing our history and who we are." Steep went on to recog- nize the staff who have worked and who currently work at the library. She invites everyone to come to the library as it is here for everyone to use. Britt Gregg -Wallace repre- sented Alice Munro at the ribbon cutting ceremony. She read a quote from Munro as saying, "I hope the library gives as much delight to those in Wingham as it did to me." Gregg -Wallace assured everyone that Munro was honoured to have the library renamed to recognize her work. Jim Fergussen, chair of the Huron County Library Board relates that what we do as children affects our careers and our life choices. He shared a quote that he loves, "In life some will try you, some will test you, some will teach you, and very few will bring out the very best in you." Fergussen asserted that if the words on the library shelves can do this, then the Huron County Library Board will have met their mandate. The Wmgham library began as a Mechanics Institute in 1876. It relocated in 1891 and was renamed the Wingham Public Library in 1895, becoming a member of the Huron County Library Asso- ciation in 1945. The Wmgham branch moved into the cur- rent location, the restored Old Temperance Hall, on Decem- ber 15, 1987 and has now been officially renamed the Alice Munro Public Library. At the conclusion of the cer- emony, Wark referred to an interview that had been con- ducted in Paris in which Alice Munro spoke of her relation- ship with the libraries and staff in Clinton and Wmgham. Munro commented that the landscape of this local area is so important to us, so she will never leave it. Wark added, 'Alice will always be part of this landscape through the library and through her books on the shelves."