New book capturing Amherstburg through photos officially released

Marty Gervais shows photos he took while creating his new book “Amherstburg: Picture a River Town.” A book launch was held April 9 at the River Bookshop.

A new book featuring mainly photography and prose has shone a light on Amherstburg.

Retired journalist and Poet Laureate Emeritus Marty Gervais has produced “Amherstburg: Picture a River Town” with the book launch being last Thursday night at the River Bookshop. The book was done in partnership with Gervais’ Black Moss Press as well as Black Dog Entertainment, the latter co-owned by Richard and Colleen Peddie and which also has the bookshop under its umbrella.

The project has been nine months in the making, said Gervais, who noted he did so carrying a notebook and camera. The hope is that stories are felt through photos, many of which were taken in the town’s downtown core. Photos include the Belle Vue site, Fort Malden National Historic Site, other local heritage buildings, fish fries at Royal Canadian Legion Fort Malden Br. 157, views along the Detroit River, streetscapes and more.

“I always had this insatiable desire to share a story,” said Gervais.

Gervais grew up in the Riverside area of Windsor but his family moved to Bracebridge as a youth. He jokingly recalled his father telling him “none of your business” when his questioning went too far. His career travels took him to the Globe & Mail, Chatham Daily News and Windsor Star, but he also owns his publishing company.

Noting a love of small towns, Gervais said he has always been interested in documenting Amherstburg, noting the passion shown by Richard Peddie. He said he went from feeling like a visitor to part of the town as production of his book continued.

“For me, the camera is a visual notebook,” he said. 

Gervais said colour, gestures and mood often tell a story and that he wanted to document life in Amherstburg. As a journalist, he travelled around the world and he met people from Muhammad Ali to Mother Theresa to former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, but he admitted to being nervous before going into the Legion to take photos at a fish fry. Those nerves soon went away as he went inside and started chatting with people and taking photos.

“Tradition really matters in communities and it really matters in a small town,” said Gervais.

This is his eighth non-fiction book, he added. He said he would like to explore the Belle Vue site even deeper.

Future projects could include a photobook on Windsor’s parks, though Gervais is open to returning to Amherstburg. He expressed interest in writing a play on Catherine Reynolds, one of the first occupants of the Belle Vue home.

Gervais added that he would often be given freedoms to produce his own stories while in the newspaper business, and Richard Peddie gave him that freedom on the book.

“He let me do my thing,” said Gervais. “He gave me free rein.”

The $25 book is available at the bookshop. Gervais is also returning there April 26 where he and fellow poet Kathryn MacDonald will be launching their new poetry books. A story on MacDonald’s book “The Blue Gate” was featured in the April 8 issue of the River Town Times.

Another photography exhibit comes to town this Sunday (April 19) at Hotel STRY. The exhibit will feature a curated selection of photographs from the book.

The April 19 program will include a dramatic reading from the book. The reading will feature Windsor Poet Laureate Peter Hrastovec, along with poet, actor, and director Barry Brodie, and actress Elise Gervais. The upcoming events are open to the public.

New book capturing Amherstburg through photos officially released

By Ron Giofu