Owen Sound may no longer be the booming port city that it once was in the 19th century, as depicted in Terry Griggs’ historical novel Rogues’ Wedding, but the literary scene is very much alive, vibrant and continues to spread its roots across the Grey & Bruce County region.
The evidence of this active artistic community can be seen on street level. As Cailey and I walked up 2nd Avenue, having just arrived in Owen Sound for the first time, we noticed the abundance of bookstores. Clear signals, we thought, of a city with a deep passion for literature.
We knew we had found one of Owen Sound’s vital literary arteries when we met Hazel Lyder, co-owner of the Downtown Bookstore with her husband Andre. This indie bookstore sells and promotes literature, but it also gives writers and aspiring artists a quiet space for their ideas to take shape.
“We host ourselves to writers’ groups here at the bookstore, and we have produced ourselves a collection of fiction from those two writers’ groups,” explained Hazel. “In terms of fiction writing, probably the best known is Richard Thomas, with his Gumshoe detective series.
“There is lots going on here. It is a real artistic community.”
She spoke about the many events they are hosting at the bookstore, pointing to Owen Sound’s growing presence on the Canadian literary stage.
“Our next featured writer is Glen Sorestad,” she said, “The Saskatchewan Poet Laureate. He is here this month and then we have Michael Winter with his brand new book, The Death of Donna Whalen.
“We are also an International Festival of Authors destination. This November we have a wonderful lineup for that as well.”
Ginger Press is no less essential in nurturing the creative minds that thrive in the close-knit Owen Sound community. Maryann Thomas, owner of the small press (which is also a bookstore and café), supports regional writers by publishing their work and satisfies the readers of Owen Sound who have a profound interest in community-based stories.
“There is a lot of interest in books around this area,” she said. “And, as a publisher, we are really happy to respond to that. A lot of communities don’t have a local publisher who is able to capture that community and get it down on paper.”
These two literary hubs right in the downtown area prove that Owen Sound is much more than a gateway to cottage country. Like the Sydenham River that flows into the calm Inner Harbour, Owen Sound’s strong creative pulse underlies this quiet and quaint community and gives it life.
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Check out the Videos section of the Owen Sound scrapbook to hear some of the Owen Sound local writers discuss the rich history of the area and its developing literary scene.
Check out the Photos section to find out more information and see pictures of the Downtown Bookstore and Ginger Press.
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