Aliya Schneider reports for Columbia-Greene Media that a group of Hudson residents have formed a nonprofit organization to spruce up Hudson's Public Square. The city park is Hudson's centerpiece, the site of rallies, protests, and where many parades begin. Friends of the Public Square HUDSON wants to collaborate with the city and its citizens on park projects. “This group of people really is, I would say newly formed and newly energized,” co-chair Katherine Kanaga said. “We’ve also sought to build a board that is diverse and representative of the community. We’ve been reaching out to different groups like Operation Unite in addition, so we want to make sure that we reach out to all parts of the community.” The group would like to get the fountain working, paint benches a more attractive color and/or replace them, prune trees in poor condition, and mulch and plant bulbs in the Public Square that is Seventh Street and Warren Street. But the Historic Preservation Committee must sign off on any changes to the park. “Four people can’t just show up at the park and determine what’s right for the entire city,” Superintendent of Public Works Robert Perry said. “All I told them was what the department is capable of doing. Whether or not that will happen, that remains to be seen.” Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.