Public input sought on Hudson waterfront pavilion project
Reeti Meenakshi Rohilla - Staff Writer
The Municipality of Sioux Lookout conducted a virtual presentation on July 20, introducing the proposed preliminary design and site analysis for a waterfront pavilion project to celebrate Hudson’s aviation and boating history, while welcoming community input to enable successful development of the project.
The Municipality shared that, “Between 2008 and 2010 residents of the Municipality of Sioux Lookout and Hudson met with landscape planning consultants, HTFC, who developed a long-term planning and revitalization strategy for Hudson. That strategy included a park-like vantage point at the intersection of 1st Street and 2nd Avenue… Keewatin-Aski Ltd. has been tasked with moving a preliminary development concept forward that meets the expectations of the Municipality of Sioux Lookout and, specifically, Hudson residents.”
Municipal Clerk Brian P. MacKinnon shared, “The project is intended to be developed to celebrate Hudson’s aviation and/or boating history, while providing an inviting outdoor space for recreational and leisure activities for members of the public and visitors alike.” He added, “Typically, whenever the Municipality undertakes a project to provide additional leisure and recreational amenities to the community, we consult with community members to ensure we are attuned to their wants and needs. We aren’t always able to accommodate every request due to financial or other limitations, but we always value the input and feedback we receive.”
The municipality invites the public to offer feedback on their preliminary design through an online survey at https://bit.ly/3zy9MOY, which will be available until August 2 at 11:59 p.m. Slides from the presentation can be downloaded at https://www.siouxlookout.ca/en/resources/2021-07-Hudson-Pavilion-Presentation.pdf.
The presentation proposed two options for the development of this park-like vantage viewpoint. The first proposal features a floatplane area with picnic tables and shade trees, with an opportunity to develop the site for multiple uses. The second option is for a tugboat play area with a picnic shelter and overlook, new trail to the CN crossing and shade trees, with an opportunity to feature the lookout and Hudson’s heritage.
“The Community Revitalization initiative undertaken between 2008 and 2010 was intended to be a long-term planning and revitalization strategy. It was understood that not all projects could be completed simultaneously, and, therefore, projects have been prioritized based on a variety of factors, including availability funding. The Hudson & Area Advisory Committee brought forward this specific initiative a couple of years ago and we have been working to get to this point where we have preliminary design and are prepared to welcome public input,” shared MacKinnon. He encourages people to share their input and reach out for any potential questions or comments.
MacKinnon said in the presentation that upon completion of the survey, reviewing responses and upgrading the design to incorporate the feedback, they will determine estimated costing and take it to council for endorsement. He added that they aim to have the project shovel ready for when funding opportunities arise.