BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1019 Report
As negotiations between the Town of Hudson and the owners of Sandy Beach continue, access to the once-popular waterfront site along the shores of the Lake of Two Mountains is expected to remain closed this summer.
On Monday evening Hudson council voted to renew an agreement with Nicanco Holdings, the owner of the wooded area around the waterfront, to prohibit parking along the private stretches of Beech Road that trace the outline of the land the town is seeking to purchase.
“It is expected that Sandy Beach will remain closed this year,” said Hudson Mayor Chloe Hutchison during the meeting, adding that negotiations with Nicanco continue.
Last month, Hutchison confirmed the town had presented Nicanco with an offer to purchase the waterfront land. She, however, refused to discuss the response to the offer.
The waterfront property has been the focus of a growing grassroots campaign to preserve the natural space from development.
“There is nothing to report at this time,” Hutchison said during Monday’s meeting.
In February, Hudson council, armed with two reports commissioned last summer to help determine the value of the land in the Sandy Beach area, had agreed on an offer to buy the waterfront property. The amount of the offer was not disclosed.
In March, Hutchison said the purchase proposition had been presented. At that time, councillor Mark Gray described the bid as “a reasonable offer.”
On Monday evening, Hutchison declined any further comment, explaining the town and Nicanco officials had agreed not to make any public statements.
Environment Quebec officials are aware the town is attempting to negotiate a deal with the Nicanco. In October 2023, Environment Minister Benoit Charette revoked Nicanco’s permit to backfill part of the wetlands to allow it to move forward with a proposed 214-unit housing development. Nicanco subsequently challenged that decision, taking its arguments to a provincial tribunal. The Tribunal Administratif du Québec has yet to issue a ruling.
The town commissioned valuation reports on the property last July after Nicanco representatives asked municipal officials if they would be interested in discussing a possible deal, marking the first time in recent years it had considered the option of a sale to the municipality.
In March 2024, Nicanco had announced it would no longer tolerate residents and visitors trespassing on its property. The move sparked an emotional response from many residents who had for years enjoyed walking along the trails through the woods that provide access to the beach.