With upgrades that include a larger ramp and pier, and a repaved parking area, boaters in Talbot County may have noticed that the landing at Oak Creek received a major makeover.
The Talbot County Department of Public Works, with help from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Boating Services, successfully renovated the boat launch facility located on Oak Creek in Newcomb.
“ With more than 5,000 launchings from Oak Creek Landing each year, this much needed renovation will dramatically improve boater access to the water ,” said John Craig, Talbot County Manager. “ The cooperative efforts between DNR, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Talbot County have resulted in a product that we all can be proud of. ”
Renovations included :
Replacing the single-lane boat ramp with a double-wide ramp, oriented towards open water and fitted with a floating boarding pier;
Replacing the original 100-foot fixed pier, with a 142-foot fixed pier featuring 10 slips and a pumpout facility;
Resurfacing and striping the existing parking lot and adding new, solar-powered security lighting;
Replacing the timber bulkhead and dredging the immediate area; and
Capping and moving the well.
“ This project will not only benefit the boating public, anglers and hunters, it will also help foster an appreciation of the environment for those who use the Oak Creek Landing boating access facility, ” said Mark O’Malley, DNR’s director of Boating Services. “ Governor Martin O’Malley and the Maryland General Assembly strongly support waterway improvement projects that create jobs and improve the quality of life for our citizens. ”
The total cost of the project was $599,943, which included $327,445 provided through the Federal Sport Fish Restoration Fund, $134,148 in State Waterway Improvement Funds, and $138,350 from Talbot County. The Waterway Improvement Fund has sponsored more than 4,500 grant projects, including the development of over 300 public boating access sites statewide, valued in excess of $300 million.
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Press Release, November 19, 2012; Image: maryland.gov