love point state park

[Pinch]

In planning stages. Talks of a kayak launch are included.

[HJS]

That would be great! I hope there is something in the design to have an off-loading zone near the waters edge, like 10 minutes temporary parking. Seems like carrying to the water's edge can be an issue at several supposed "kayak launch sites", especially if you are not a young whipper-snapper.

[HJS]

Oooops...Double Post

[Southerly]

that is a great location!

Coming soon to Kent Island: A new state park.

The state bought 75 acres of waterfront property at Love Point five years ago, and is now getting around to planning a park.
“It’s beautifully located. It has deep-water access,” said Arnold Norden, chief of resource management for the Maryland Park Service at the Department of Natural Resources.
DNR officials have kicked around ideas for the park, from creating trails to building an aquaculture center for watermen. They will meet Monday to hear from folks who live near the future park and who might use it.

The state bought the Love Point property with $7.2 million from Program Open Space in 2007, state records show.
The seller was Atchafalaya Holdings, which is connected with Langenfelder Marine.
Langenfelder, a well-known marine contracting company, leases back a portion of the property, where it runs its industrial operations.
The five-year lease is for $215,000 per year, records show. The lease is up for another five-year renewal this year.

At the time of the purchase, Norden said, state officials recognized that the acquisition could be a good deal because of its potential for public use.
“The feeling was, it’s in an area where there’s not a lot of public access ... It provided a good opportunity to fill some recreation and resource management needs,” Norden said.
Officials at Langenfelder did not return a call for comment on Tuesday afternoon.

The property is on the Chester River, near where it spills out into the Chesapeake Bay.

Aside from the part leased by Langenfelder, the property includes forests, wetlands, natural fields and farm fields that are leased to a farmer. A handful of watermen have leases to dock their boats on the Langenfelder portion.
Inland projects — perhaps trails, benches and restrooms — would be developed first.
Projects along the water — such as a boat ramp, a fishing pier or watermen’s docks — would have to be built later.
There’s no timetable, and there isn’t any money set aside for developing the park.
Norden said the DNR could draw money from the Waterway Improvement Fund, Program Open Space, the DNR’s regular budget or, possibly, state grants.

The state could expand the area for watermen to dock their boats. It could also set up a pavilion or other building for direct-to-customer seafood sales, much like a farmers market.
It has also been suggested that the site be used for promoting aquaculture, such as growing baby oyster seed for oyster farms.
One park amenity likely off the table is a public beach.
There is a sandy area on the Langenfelder portion of the land, but there’s not enough beach to set up swimming areas.

The Love Point property has a history of maritime commerce and recreation.
For years, it was the site of a ferry terminal that brought people from Baltimore and the Western Shore across the bay for relaxation.
The railroad was there as well, carrying goods shipped over from Baltimore to the Eastern Shore.
The property was home to the Love Point Hotel, a popular vacation spot during the days of the ferry. It burned down in 1965."

[jffoley]

That would be a great location for a kayak launch:

http://www.tidalfish.com/forums/show...Park-Need-help!

[surfdog]

dont hold your breath, no money for the project. my bro-in law is the state engineer for the state in charge of the state parks. he told me about this a few years ago and still no progress