Oakdale: Memories and Aspirations

On HudsonValley360 today, Amanda Purcell has a story about Oakdale and the plans to revitalize it: "Oakdale volunteers whittle down project list." Essentially, she's reporting the same information that was presented to the public on December 11 and reported by Gossips the next day: "Eight Ideas for Oakdale." What Purcell doesn't mention is an Oakdale event coming up next month, on Thursday, February 7, at the Hudson Area Library: the opening reception for an exhibition called "Oakdale: Past & Future."

Oakdale Lake, June 1963

The exhibition, the collaborative creation of Friends of Oakdale Lake, Friends of Hudson Youth, the Hudson Area Library, Columbia University's Hudson Valley Initiative, and the City of Hudson Youth Department's "Oakdale campers," includes historic photographs of Oakdale, maps from early Oakdale Lake plans (it is a human-engineered lake, after all), a history of Hudson's relationship with the lake, environmental projects by Oakdale campers, and the Hudson Valley Initiative team's final design concept for Oakdale, refined based on the input from the public meeting on December 11.

HVI's findings will be presented in a short video to be screened at the exhibition opening. Attendees can discuss and augment the concepts. There will be design images for people to take hone and "mobilize around." Speaking of the eight design ideas, Kaja Kühl, director of the HVI program, explained, "Each can be pursued individually and at different timelines. Together they provide a vision for Oakdale as a destination for all."

The event takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, February 7, in the Community Room of the Hudson Area Library, 51 North Fifth Street. People are encouraged to bring copies of photographs of themselves, their friends and family at Oakdale. These will be placed on a community board that will become part of the exhibition, which will be on display at the library through the month of March.
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