Mayor Chris Cerino put the riverfront walkway back into play during Monday’s Town Council meeting by presenting an in-depth slide show of how the project might look if pursued on a grander scale, what he calls the “go big or go home” model.
The discussion of a river walk has been put on hold since September 2019. Still, Cerino wants to ignite interest in the issue now after having surveyed problems of a deteriorating riverfront at Wilmer Park.
The Wilmer Park riverfront and bulkhead was built in the mid-1980s using pilings reinforced by anchored cable and backfilled with dirt. Currently, the riverfront part of the park drops a foot in elevation indicated by fissures in the sidewalls and terrain. If left unaddressed, the boardwalk as it exists would eventually collapse.
Historically, this part of the park succumbs to monthly floods, which deteriorate the park shoreline.
Cerino’s idea is to rebuild the vulnerable section of the park riverfront and has offered six possibilities, from simply fixing the broken boardwalk to a long-term comprehensive pedestrian loop along the lines of 2019’s Chestertown Heritage Trail and few versions in between.
The council showed interest in the larger plan and wants to open the subject up to the many stakeholders who might be interested. Cerino offered the possibility of holding community charrettes in the future much like the town meetings during the marina conceptualization.
This video is approximately nine minutes in length. For more information about the Town of Chestertown Council please go here.
elizabeth bonass says
Hope you’re not forgetting the children playground FIRST ???.
Michelle says
The grant money for the playground has already been submitted and is being considered by the State Legislature. Fingers crossed!!
Carol says
This was a public landing. How is the town dealing with this?
Ben says
What do you mean Carol? How are they dealing with what, specifically?
Cynthia B. Saunders says
The vision of a comprehensive trail system linking a waterfront component extending from Town Dock along the river to Radcliffe Creek with inland path(s) circling the town and eventually extending out to Worton via the old railroad bed was firmly expressed in the 1995 Chestertown Planning Charrette. The first iteration of that concept was construction of the footbridge across the inlet pond in front of Hynson Ringgold House……the belief that it would attract people to the riverfront was immediately born out as soon as the barriers were removed. Further conceptualization came from a second planning charrette influenced by Alex Castro, who envisioned spaces for placement of public art along such a pathway, even including a floating performance “pavilion” off Wilmer Park, an idea which had the added benefit of not using any park space for a permanent concert venue! In short, the vision and planning are all in hand; taking on the challenge of actualizing them seems like a great idea!
Anonymous says
And with all the budget deficits, where will funding come from? Will residents have to bear the burden? I’m all for town revitalization and bringing new people and Families to town but who will pay for this?