Hudson, Quebec
Hudson,
Quebec,
Canada, town of population 4,796 (
2001 Census), area approx. 7 km² on the south-west bank of the
Ottawa River, in the county of
Vaudreuil-Soulanges. Situated about 60 kilometres west of downtown
Montreal, many residents commute to work by car or train. It is a municipality within the Montreal Metropolitan Community.
The town was founded in July 1969 from a merger of the villages of Hudson, Hudson Heights and Como. Unlike its surrounding mainly French-speaking municipalities, it has a majority English-speaking population (65% according to 2001 Census). A relatively wealthy town, Hudson is known for its large, turn-of-the century houses, many of which border the
Lake of Two Mountains. A
ferry from Hudson takes cars across the lake to the village of
Oka.
The Town is largely upper-middle class and composed of professionals, artists and artisans, corporate executives, and a wide variety of successful entrepreneurs. It has a certain cachet in the Montreal region.
The Town has three schools, of which two are Anglophone and one Francophone as well as four churches: one
Catholic, two
Anglican and one
United.There are some 140 businesses in Town, 50% of which are of an arts and crafts nature.Other attractions of Hudson include:
* The Village Theatre (located in the historical train station)
* Finnegan's antique market
* The Auberge Willow Place Inn restaurant
* Greenwood Centre for Living History
* St. James', St. Mary's, Wyman Memorial United and St. Thomas Aquinas churches
* Chateau du Lac (bar in a historic building)
Notable annual events in Hudson include the Hudson Street Fair, the Hudson Yacht Club Labour Day Regatta, Canada Day festivities, Shiver Fest (a winter carnival) and the Santa Claus Parade.
The Quebec
Cities and Towns Act requires all towns the size of Hudson to have a municipal council of six councillors and one mayor, elected by the local population every four years. The mayor is elected by all Hudson residents, while the town is divided into six wards to elect the councillors. Given the small size of the town, council seats are often won by
acclamation. The current mayor is Elizabeth Corker (since 2004). Council meets once per month in the Stephen Shaar Community Centre, named after the previous mayor. Municipal administrators work in the Town Hall. Town council is responsible for things such as
water supply, local
road maintenance,
zoning, construction permits, and administration of parks. Some responsibilities, such as regional planning, is shared with the county. Council receives its revenues through property taxes, which it establishes. The town maintains its own volunteer fire department and a local patrol to enforce municipal by-laws.
*
Town of Hudson official site*
Hudson Gazette, community newspaper*
News and information about Hudson*
A Young Teen's Life and Impressions of Hudson*
Quebec Cities and Towns Act
