A 2022 grant of $4,000 helped Friends of the Public Square in Hudson meet the $25,000 project design fee needed to get a reconceptualization of Hudson’s primary uptown park space launched. Working with Starr Whitehouse landscape architects, the all-volunteer Friends of the Public Square organization went through a series of public meetings and surveys to determine community needs and wishes regarding the park, then produced a three-phase plan.
Phase I – Replacing existing fountain and plaza with a new child-friendly traditional fountain with all-new infrastructure, a surrounding bluestone plaza and new historically themed benches.
Phase II – Restoring the rest of the Seventh Street Park and improving its usability with new pavement and pathways, lighting, seating and landscaping.
Phase III – Redeveloping the perimeter and streetscape of the park including sidewalks and traffic-calming measures.
Currently the group is seeking major gifts and NYS and federal funds to meet the $1.3 million target of Phase I. The full project is pegged at $4.6 million, with the City of Hudson Department of Public Works providing a significant in-kind contribution.
For additional information, Friends of the Public Square can be reached at PO Box 1214, Hudson, NY 12534 or via fopshudson@gmail.com. Their website is www.fopshudson.org.