By Elijah McGuire-Berk
Web Editor
In 2012, the town of Chestertown purchased the waterfront property at 211 S Water St. from its previous owners under the condition that, should they sell it, it would not be resold before 2020.
Chestertown is old, and as in every old town, structures break down, deteriorate, or just need repairs. According to the organization, “The Chestertown Waterfront Coalition,” (CWC)believes that the Chestertown Marina is one of these structures. The CWC argues that without the necessary funds, the town will be forced to close or sell off the marina in 2022.
According to their website, the CWC is “an informal association of businesses, organizations and individuals, and their sole purpose is to assist the town of Chestertown in securing sufficient funds from the state to allow for the complete restoration of the Chestertown Marina and associated waterfront properties in the winter of 2017-2018.” Currently, they’re seeking a $1.5 million allocation from the state’s 2017-2018 budget.
While the membership list isn’t available, there are multiple organizations that openly support the CWC including the Kent County Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Chestertown Association, the Greater Chestertown Initiative, the Sultana Education Foundation, and the Washington College Student Government Association.
SGA Vice President and Secretary of Service and Community Relations Audrey Utchen, senior, said, “The SGA supports them because, as a college, we help with the economic stability of the town, especially during the winter months. This gives Chestertown an additional source of customers during the colder seasons when college students are transitioning out and before the tourism season arrives.”
She also said, “Not only will Chestertown receive funding, improve the waterfront (a vital part to the history and current economy of the town), and create additional jobs, but it will also have a trickle down effect with the College. As the town becomes more active around the water, more students will be attracted downtown and the overall community will be better off economically.”
Senior Thomas Brennan, SGA’s chief of staff, said, “The major goals of the project are to just renovate the facility as it is.” Brennan talked about repairing the waterfront’s parking lots and performing dredging. He said, “One of the issues that we have had with the marina was a lot of flooding during tides and during heavy storms. The thought is that, with all this dredging, you’re not only reducing or eliminating the impact of the floods on the waterfront but in addition, there’s also supposed to be some projects to help benefit the reduction of sediment and silt that’s being deposited in the Chesapeake Bay.”
The SGA voiced its support by emailing the student body and requesting that students send a letter to Governor Larry Hogan. More information on how to write a letter can be found at chestertownwaterfrontcoalition.com/help-us/.