Lions Family Make Return to Benson Park

The Hudson Benson Park Committee met on Dec. 19 to hear that with the help of Public Works Director Jay Twardosky, the town was able to move a pair of historic lion statues to Benson Park. Transportation issues related to the weight and private ownership of the statues delayed their expected donation for several months.

The family of lions that have sat at a home on Highland Street for a number of years have made their way back to their original home at Benson Park thanks to the efforts of Hudson Public Works. Photo by Chris Paul


“Jay was able to transport the lions, so they went from their old home on Highland Street and are now back at the park. They survived the transport and are surviving in our kitchen area in the basement,” reported Committee Chair Judy Brouillette. “They need some significant work.”
The statues will need extensive restoration work before they are fit for public display, which is not expected until next summer at the earliest.
“We have somebody that’s going to look into that when the weather is better,” said Committee member Susan Clement. “It’s somebody that is licensed, who knows what they’re doing.”
It was unclear where the Committee might place the lions once they were ready for public display. Water damage was responsible for much of the current damage, and Brouillette stated that any new location should be “covered” and “raised” to minimize future weathering.
The Board of Selectmen recently approved a $5,000 donation to Benson Park. According to Committee member Jack Madden, the donation was originally supposed to be anonymous, although that proved infeasible.
“My younger sister passed away last year in Texas, and I’ve been taking care of her estate, so the donation is a small amount of inheritance money that actually is going to come to me, and it’s going to be designated to various charities,” he explained. “The $5,000 donation is going towards rehabilitation work within the train station building. It’s primarily for the inside, because after we have a contractor remove the lead and treat for the moisture, the interior will be in a position where we can safely use volunteer labor to take out the post-1916 non-standard features.”
“Thank you for your family for doing that!” Brouillette told Madden.
Refurbishing the old Hudson Station has been an ongoing project slowed by the need for expensive lead and mold remediation. That process is still ongoing.
“The next two things are we contact the list of state-approved vendors, get quotes for the interior removal of the lead and treating of the moisture, and then we will come up with the proposed list before sending it to the Board of Selectmen saying ‘this is the one that we recommend and why,'” said Madden. “They give the approval, we get that work done, and then the interior of the building will be safe.”
He wanted a more detailed list of what features the Committee might remove as part of the restoration effort. It was unclear when the station would be ready. Madden promised to keep the town and the rest of the Committee up-to-date on the situation.
The next meeting of the Hudson Benson Park Committee is set for Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. in the Cable Access Center.

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