At the River Bookshop we have always focused on a few important things:
🔹 We want to be true to our values: educate, engage, inspire and entertain.
🔹 We want to champion heritage properties.
🔹 We want to support local.
With our newest project we are doing all three!
On November 8th a new book entitled Heritage Buildings of Amherstburg is available in bookshops across the county. The book tells the story of over 100 heritage properties, living up to all our values. Its beautiful design and the backstories about our heritage buildings champion their preservation. And given that local historian Meg Reiner is our author, and the subject Amherstburg itself, definitely makes it local!
In case you don’t know our author, here’s a little about Meg. She grew up in Amherstburg amidst the landmarks featured in her book. After her education she landed a position at the Marsh Collection in 2016. Working at the Marsh has taught Meg a great deal, both from the collection itself, and the local residents who regularly visit and share their knowledge. Meg is thrilled to have the opportunity to pass on some of what she has learned through writing Heritage Buildings of Amherstburg.
We also believe this book is very timely. Amherstburg has a number of heritage properties that need to be restored, protected and preserved. Today across the province there is tension over whether a heritage building should be torn down to make way for a new condo, a housing project, or preserved for future generations. The town of Amherstburg has a heritage register that includes Designated Properties and Properties of Interest (we note many of these in the Contents section). While past councils have acted to protect many of these properties, it is time the town established a Heritage Conservation District(s). HCDs are special areas of the community that possess a unique character. Within the district, any properties deemed heritage can be protected. Today there are 134 HCDs across Ontario. Niagara on the Lake was the first to approve an HCD in 1986. Even Cobourg has four. And Picton, where we recently travelled to study their beautiful new Royal Hotel, has one. Amherstburg has flirted with the concept many times over the past forty years, but no council has ever got it over the goal line. Let’s hope our new council is more successful.
You will have lots of opportunities to meet Meg and purchase her book. The book will obviously be featured at the River Bookshop, and is available now, but it will also be available at Biblioasis, Indigo Windsor, Indigo St. Clair Shores, Juniper Books, Story Tellers, Unique Books & Gifts, Girard & Co. Flowers & Gifts—even at Fort Malden.
Meg will also be out and about, and you can catch her in person at these events:
- River Bookshop, November 16 @ 6:30pm - presentation and book signing
- River Bookshop Christmas Market, November 19 @ 1-3pm - book signing
- Amherstburg Freedom Museum, November 30 @ 6:30pm - presentation and book signing
- Shooters Roadhouse, December 3 @ 1-3pm - book signing
- Gordon House, December 4 @ 1-3pm - book signing
- River Bookshop Christmas Market, December 17 @ 1-3pm - book signing
“The Ruins of Boblo” puzzle was our first attempt to create a local product and we’ve been encouraged by its popularity. (Note that Meg’s book includes six pages on Boblo—Dance Pavilion, Block House, Amusement Building, Lighthouse). This book is the result of numerous visitors coming to our bookshop asking why there isn’t a local book on Amherstburg. If Heritage Buildings of Amherstburg is the success we think it will be, then look for more from us. And who knows, now that Meg is an author, maybe she will be up for another title? Great sales will no doubt be a motivator for us all.
Richard and Colleen
Book Sellers and Community Builders