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CHOPTANK - Emphasizing the partnership between Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Department of Commerce, Mid-Shore Regional Council, and Caroline County, County leadership held a ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the improvements to the Choptank marina on June 22.
The project to improve water access and make infrastructure improvements was a true partnership according to Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. The sentiment was echoed by Carl Anderton, Director of Rural Economic Strategy, Maryland Department of Commerce, in his remarks before providing a citation from Maryland Department of Commerce Secretary Harry Coker, Jr., to honor the people who worked to bring the project across the proverbial finish line.
County Recreation and Parks Director Jamie Beechey said during her remarks that the project started in 2019 when Caroline County Recreation and Parks was awarded funding for a boat ramp replacement. Then through the next several years, funds were awarded for dredging and engineering, fueling station, and a seawall. The project’s price tag was just under $5 million.
The County struggled to find required matching funds for Maryland Department of Natural Resources funding of $3.6 million until 2023, when the then-newly seated Board of Commissioners determined to shift funds from the State of Maryland’s Rural Maryland Economic Development grant from a potential development at the Mid Shore Regional Technology Park in Ridgely to support the more tourism and recreational focused Choptank Marina Improvement project.
The partnership between the county, state agencies, and Mid-Shore Regional Council, was leveraged to offer access through the only County-owned marina. County Commission President Travis Breeding pointed out that the marina sits at the junction of the Choptank River and Hunting Creek with Talbot County across the River slightly to the west and Dorchester County across the creek slightly east, and it is the major waterway for commercial and recreation in Caroline County. He also said that “water access is very important to quite a few residents here in the County”, and he noted that his own “slip number 6” has unfortunately remained empty this year due to his reelection campaign and other obligations.
County Commissioner Frank Bartz said that he is proud to have brought development to the marina so that “working people” are able to have fun on the water.
Beechey emphasized how well her department and the partners worked together to get the project done quickly. Construction started in November 2025 and was completed this month.
This project is one of three that Caroline County Recreation and Parks Department is working on in the County. Last month, the ribbon was cut for the start of a phase of development for the North County Park outside of Greensboro, and newly installed lighting is a testament to the progress being made on the baseball fields at Sharp Road Park in Denton.
