Hudson, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Hudson, Quebec
, Canada
, is a town with a population of 5,088 (2006 Census
) on the south-west bank of the lower Ottawa River
, in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality
. Situated about 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) west of downtown Montreal
, many residents commute to work on the Island of Montreal
.
from Hudson takes cars across the lake (a confluence of the Ottawa River) to the village of Oka
.
Hudson has been dubbed "the leafy Anglo-enclave", as, unlike the surrounding mainly French-speaking municipalities, Hudson has a majority English-speaking population (65% according to 2001 Census), although many residents speak both languages.
Hudson is near the edge of suburban Montreal to the east, but also surrounded by substantial farming and forest areas to the west. Large lot sizes, enforced by town by-laws, contribute to the relatively large number of trees in the residential areas. Zoning, infrastructure and building development are occasionally controversial subjects, such as when town residents voted against permitting Gheorghe Zamfir
to build a concert hall near the edge of town in the 1980s. In 2001, the town won a victory in Canada's Supreme Court, upholding its by-law 207, which bans pesticide use on public and private property for cosmetic (purely aesthetic) purposes.
Although much larger in population, Hudson has been compared to culturally and demographically similar Quebec towns such as the Eastern Townships
villages of North Hatley
and Brome Lake as well as nearby Senneville. All four municipalities border a body of water (used extensively for recreation year-round) and include a harmonious blend of French and English residents.
The Town is largely upper-middle class and includes professionals, artists and artisans, corporate executives, and a wide variety of entrepreneurs as residents. There are some 140 businesses in town, 50% of which are of an arts and crafts nature.
The Town has three schools, of which two are English (Mount Pleasant Elementary School & Westwood Senior, formerly Hudson High School) and one French (St-Thomas Elementary School), as well as four churches: one Catholic (St-Thomas Aquinas), two Anglican
(St-James & St-Mary's), one United
(Wyman).
Notable annual events in Hudson include the Hudson Street Fair, the Hudson Yacht Club Labour Day
Regatta
, the FruitBowl Regatta (North America's most well-attended youth sailing event), Canada Day
festivities, Shiver Fest (a winter carnival
), the Turn On The Lights Festival, The Studio Tour, The Home & Gardens Tour, the Santa Claus Parade
and (as of 2010) the St. Patrick's Day Parade. The town was also put under the spotlight in a recent taping of the reality television series, Road Hockey Rumble
. Residents of the town were selected to play a game of road hockey.
A fixture in Hudson, the Hudson Yacht Club (HYC) is a boating and social club founded in 1909 on the shores of Lake of Two Mountains (Lac des Deux Montagnes). Boasting several hundred members and boats, it has expansive grounds, decades-old trees, multiple sailing programs, and hosts the popular FruitBowl. Now drawing participants from across Canada and into the United States, FruitBowl was established in 1996 for the purposes of attracting young sailors and high quality coaches to Hudson, as a showcase event for youth regattas in Canada. The grounds and shoreline of the Hudson Yacht Club comprise arguably some of the best real estate in Hudson; a testament to the collective vision of the Club's founders. Each Labour Day weekend the HYC opens its property and facilities to hundreds of Montreal-area sailors and revelers for its annual Mount Gay
Regatta.
The town gained notoriety in 1991 by becoming the first in North America to ban several forms of lawn and garden pesticides used to kill insects and weeds. The town was sued by two pesticide companies and on June 28, 2001, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in the town's favor by a 9-0 vote. The Hudson example spurred many other municipalities and provinces in Canada to enact similar bans of pesticides. The Hudson case is the subject of an upcoming American documentary movie titled A Chemical Reaction by filmmaker Brett Plymale.
. The current mayor is Michael Elliott (since 2009), who succeeded Elizabeth Corker, who served from 2004 to 2009. Council meets once per month in the Stephen Shaar Community Centre, named after the mayor who served until 2004 (and presided over its construction). 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.
(also known as Boulevard Harwood). Although many residents commute by automobile, a commuter train to Montreal (Vaudreuil-Hudson Line) stops in Hudson once per day in either direction. As of February 5, 2007, a shuttle bus service operated by CIT La Presqu'Île
was launched to move people about within the immediate area, to the campus of John Abbott College
CEGEP
, or to the Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue
train station.
During the spring, summer and fall, a ferry
links Hudson with Oka, Quebec
, 2 kilometers across the Ottawa River
. During the winter months, a tolled ice bridge
allows vehicular traffic between the two towns.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, is a town with a population of 5,088 (2006 Census
Canada 2006 Census
The Canada 2006 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 16, 2006. The next census following will be the 2011 Census. Canada's total population enumerated by the 2006 census was 31,612,897...
) on the south-west bank of the lower Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
, in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality
Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality, Quebec
-References:...
. Situated about 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) west of downtown Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, many residents commute to work on the Island of Montreal
Island of Montreal
The Island of Montreal , in extreme southwestern Quebec, Canada, is located at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. It is separated from Île Jésus by the Rivière des Prairies....
.
Location and population
Hudson is a municipality within the Montreal Metropolitan Community. Although a rural agglomeration since the early part of the 19th Century, the Town of Hudson was founded in June 1969 by merging the villages of Hudson, Hudson Heights and Como. 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 ferryFerry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
from Hudson takes cars across the lake (a confluence of the Ottawa River) to the village of Oka
Oka, Quebec
-References:...
.
Hudson has been dubbed "the leafy Anglo-enclave", as, unlike the surrounding mainly French-speaking municipalities, Hudson has a majority English-speaking population (65% according to 2001 Census), although many residents speak both languages.
Hudson is near the edge of suburban Montreal to the east, but also surrounded by substantial farming and forest areas to the west. Large lot sizes, enforced by town by-laws, contribute to the relatively large number of trees in the residential areas. Zoning, infrastructure and building development are occasionally controversial subjects, such as when town residents voted against permitting Gheorghe Zamfir
Gheorghe Zamfir
Gheorghe Zamfir is a Romanian pan flute musician.Zamfir is known for playing an expanded version of the traditional Romanian-style pan flute of 20 pipes to 22, 25, 28 and 30 pipes to increase its range, and obtaining as many as eight overtones from each pipe by changing the embouchure.He is...
to build a concert hall near the edge of town in the 1980s. In 2001, the town won a victory in Canada's Supreme Court, upholding its by-law 207, which bans pesticide use on public and private property for cosmetic (purely aesthetic) purposes.
Although much larger in population, Hudson has been compared to culturally and demographically similar Quebec towns such as the Eastern Townships
Eastern Townships
The Eastern Townships is a tourist region and a former administrative region in south-eastern Quebec, lying between the former seigneuries south of the Saint Lawrence River and the United States border. Its northern boundary roughly followed Logan's Line, the geologic boundary between the flat,...
villages of North Hatley
North Hatley, Quebec
North Hatley is a village of 750 people, located at the north end of Lake Massawippi. It is in the county of Stanstead, which is part of the Memphrémagog Regional County Municipality in the Eastern Townships region of Quebec, also known as Estrie or Cantons de l'Est in French. It is a haven for...
and Brome Lake as well as nearby Senneville. All four municipalities border a body of water (used extensively for recreation year-round) and include a harmonious blend of French and English residents.
The Town is largely upper-middle class and includes professionals, artists and artisans, corporate executives, and a wide variety of entrepreneurs as residents. There are some 140 businesses in town, 50% of which are of an arts and crafts nature.
The Town has three schools, of which two are English (Mount Pleasant Elementary School & Westwood Senior, formerly Hudson High School) and one French (St-Thomas Elementary School), as well as four churches: one Catholic (St-Thomas Aquinas), two Anglican
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
(St-James & St-Mary's), one United
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
(Wyman).
Events and tourist attractions
Tourist attractions of Hudson include:- The Village Theatre (located in the historical train station)
- Finnegan's antique market
- The Auberge Willow Place Inn restaurant
- Mon Village 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)
- Tutti Gourmet (famous biscotti and apple strudel)
Notable annual events in Hudson include the Hudson Street Fair, the Hudson Yacht Club Labour Day
Labour Day
Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for...
Regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
, the FruitBowl Regatta (North America's most well-attended youth sailing event), Canada Day
Canada Day
Canada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
festivities, Shiver Fest (a winter carnival
Winter carnival
A Winter carnival is an outdoor celebration that occurs in wintertime.Winter carnivals, or festivals, are popular in places where winter is particularly long or severe, such as Scandinavia, Canada and the northern United States...
), the Turn On The Lights Festival, The Studio Tour, The Home & Gardens Tour, the Santa Claus Parade
Santa Claus parade
Santa Claus parades or Christmas pageants are parades held in some countries to celebrate the official opening of the Christmas season with the arrival of Santa Claus....
and (as of 2010) the St. Patrick's Day Parade. The town was also put under the spotlight in a recent taping of the reality television series, Road Hockey Rumble
Road Hockey Rumble
Road Hockey Rumble is a half-hour reality series that was produced by Paperny Films and broadcast on OLN. It follows two all-Canadian hosts, Calum MacLeod and Mark McGuckin. It is in the documentary form but crosses over into the genres of sports, travel, and comedy with an attitude that defies...
. Residents of the town were selected to play a game of road hockey.
A fixture in Hudson, the Hudson Yacht Club (HYC) is a boating and social club founded in 1909 on the shores of Lake of Two Mountains (Lac des Deux Montagnes). Boasting several hundred members and boats, it has expansive grounds, decades-old trees, multiple sailing programs, and hosts the popular FruitBowl. Now drawing participants from across Canada and into the United States, FruitBowl was established in 1996 for the purposes of attracting young sailors and high quality coaches to Hudson, as a showcase event for youth regattas in Canada. The grounds and shoreline of the Hudson Yacht Club comprise arguably some of the best real estate in Hudson; a testament to the collective vision of the Club's founders. Each Labour Day weekend the HYC opens its property and facilities to hundreds of Montreal-area sailors and revelers for its annual Mount Gay
Mount Gay
Mount Gay Rum is produced by Mount Gay Distilleries Ltd. of Barbados, the easternmost island of the West Indies. The oldest surviving deed for the company is from 1703, making Mount Gay Rum the oldest existing brand of rum in the world...
Regatta.
The town gained notoriety in 1991 by becoming the first in North America to ban several forms of lawn and garden pesticides used to kill insects and weeds. The town was sued by two pesticide companies and on June 28, 2001, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in the town's favor by a 9-0 vote. The Hudson example spurred many other municipalities and provinces in Canada to enact similar bans of pesticides. The Hudson case is the subject of an upcoming American documentary movie titled A Chemical Reaction by filmmaker Brett Plymale.
Population
Population trend| Census | Population | Change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 5,088 | 6.1% |
| 2001 | 4,796 | 0.0% |
| 1996 | 4,796 | 0.7% |
| 1991 | 4,829 | N/A |
Language
| Language | Mother tongue | Home language | Official languages |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 66.18% | 80.16% | 76.33% |
| French | 21.63% | 16.31% | 22.00% |
| English and french | 2.36 | 1.67% | 1.47% |
| Non official language only | 9.83% | 1.57% | |
Municipal council
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 acclamationAcclamation
An acclamation, in its most common sense, is a form of election that does not use a ballot. "Acclamation" or "acclamatio" can also signify a kind of ritual greeting and expression of approval in certain social contexts in ancient Rome.-Voting:...
. The current mayor is Michael Elliott (since 2009), who succeeded Elizabeth Corker, who served from 2004 to 2009. Council meets once per month in the Stephen Shaar Community Centre, named after the mayor who served until 2004 (and presided over its construction). Municipal administrators work in the Town Hall. Town council is responsible for things such as water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
supply, local road
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
maintenance, zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
, 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.
| Mayor |
|---|
| Michael Elliott |
| Councillor | District |
|---|---|
| Robert Spencer | #1 Como |
| Jacques Nadeau | #2 Hudson - East |
| Tim (Hank) Snow | #3 Hudson – Center |
| Louis Thifault | #4 Fairhaven |
| Diane Piacente | #5 Heights - East |
| Madeleine Hodgson | #6 West |
Transportation
A single street, Main Road, traverses Hudson east to west, while the southern border of the town mainly runs along Quebec Route 342Quebec Route 342
Route 342 is a provincial highway located in the Montérégie region of Quebec west of Montreal. It runs from the Ontario-Quebec border in Pointe-Fortune Route 342 is a provincial highway located in the Montérégie region of Quebec west of Montreal. It runs from the Ontario-Quebec border in...
(also known as Boulevard Harwood). Although many residents commute by automobile, a commuter train to Montreal (Vaudreuil-Hudson Line) stops in Hudson once per day in either direction. As of February 5, 2007, a shuttle bus service operated by CIT La Presqu'Île
CIT La Presqu'Île
The CIT La Presqu'Île provides local bus service within the western suburbs of Montreal that lie along the south side of the Ottawa River in the regional county municipality of Vaudreuil-Soulanges, Quebec, Canada...
was launched to move people about within the immediate area, to the campus of John Abbott College
John Abbott College
John Abbott College is an English-language general and professional educational college located in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada, near the western tip of the Island of Montreal. The enabling legislation is the General and Vocational Colleges Act -History:The college was accredited in...
CEGEP
Cégep
CEGEP is an acronym for , which is literally translated as "College of General and Vocational Education" but commonly called "General and Vocational College" in circles not influenced by Quebec English. It refers to the public post-secondary education collegiate institutions exclusive to the...
, or to the Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue
Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec
Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue is a town located at the western tip of the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is the second oldest community in Montreal's West Island, having been founded as a parish in 1703...
train station.
During the spring, summer and fall, a ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
links Hudson with Oka, Quebec
Oka, Quebec
-References:...
, 2 kilometers across the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
. During the winter months, a tolled ice bridge
Ice road
Ice roads are frozen, human-made structures on the surface of bays, rivers, lakes, or seas in the far north. They link dry land, frozen waterways, portages and winter roads, and are usually remade each winter. Ice roads allow temporary transport to areas with no permanent road access...
allows vehicular traffic between the two towns.
Water and sewage
Hudson has a municipal water and sewage system. The sewage system was built in the first decade of the 21st century and serves the central area of town. It is relatively common for houses outside the central area to use well water and/or a septic tank.Municipal facilities
The town operates the Stephen Shaar Community Centre, teen centre (in the lower level of the community centre) and a municipal swimming pool. The town also has a number of parks, including St. Thomas Park (soccer fields behind the swimming pool), Thompson park (lakeside soccer fields), Benson Park (with a softball field, children's playground with outdoor hockey and skating rinks), and Sandy Beach.Notable people from Hudson, Quebec
- Paul Frappier was a Montreal-based Canadian entertainer, musician, and hip hop MC of Haitian origin, better known by his stage name Bad News Brown.
- Jean-Paul L'AllierJean-Paul L'AllierJean-Paul L'Allier was a Canadian politician, a two-term Member of the National Assembly of Quebec and the 38th Mayor of Quebec City.-Background:...
, former mayor of Quebec City - Jack LaytonJack LaytonJohn Gilbert "Jack" Layton, PC was a Canadian social democratic politician and the Leader of the Official Opposition. He was the leader of the New Democratic Party from 2003 to 2011, and previously sat on Toronto City Council, serving at times during that period as acting mayor and deputy mayor of...
, former leader of the New Democratic Party - Vanessa LengiesVanessa LengiesVanessa Lynne-Marie Lengies is a Canadian actress best known for starring in the drama American Dreams as Roxanne Bojarski...
, actress, best known for "Are you afraid of the dark" and "Popular Mechanics For Kids" - Matthew LombardiMatthew LombardiMatthew Lombardi is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Toronto Maple Leafs.-Playing career:Matthew Lombardi was born and raised in Montreal. He played hockey for the LaPresqu'ile minor hockey association before playing junior hockey for the Victoriaville Tigres in the Quebec Major...
, NHL hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs (formerly Calgary Flames, Phoenix Coyotes, Nashville Predators) - Larry Smith, former Canadian Football League Commissioner and current Conservative Senator
- Amanda WalshAmanda WalshAmanda Walsh is a Canadian actress and former VJ for the Canadian television station MuchMusic.-Career beginnings:Walsh was born in Rigaud, Quebec. She went to Hudson High School, in Hudson, Quebec...
, best known for being a MuchMusic VJ (2000-2004), as well as her role in film 'Ghosts of Girlfriends Past' (2009), and recurring roles in 'Sons & Daughters' and 'The Big Bang Theory' - Patrick WatsonPatrick Watson (musician)Patrick Watson is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and the name of the band which he fronts, whose blend of cabaret pop and classical music influences with indie rock has been compared to Rufus Wainwright, Andrew Bird, Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley and Pink Floyd for their experimental musicianship.-...
, musician, best known for 2007 single "The great escape"
External links
- Town of Hudson official site
- Quebec Cities and Towns Act
- The Hudson Historical Society
- Greenwood Centre for Living History
- Hudson Yacht Club
- Annual Hudson Street Fair