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
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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.
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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."