Queen Anne’s County has been awarded a $45,000 grant from the National Park Service to the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network. The federal funds will be used to create an interpretive walking trail and bridge highlighting cultural and environmental aspects of the Bay, the Chester River and the Kent Narrows along the planned Ferry Point Trail.

On Thursday, October 16 United States Senator Benjamin Cardin will be presenting the check to the Queen Anne’s County Commissioners at the Chesapeake Exploration Center. The event will be at 11 a.m. on the grounds of the center, home to the county’s Office of Tourism. In the event of rain, the event will be held inside the center’s Barrett Room.

“Queen Anne’s County is pleased to have the Chesapeake Exploration Center as a designated Gateway Hub and the Cross Island Trail as a Bay Gateway site,” said Barbara Siegert, Tourism Manager for Queen Anne’s County. “The project will afford options for visitor orientation, Bay access, scenic view shed, wildlife observation and ecological education for children and adults,” she said. The interpretive walking trail and bridge will provide access from existing Bay Gateway sites to the natural landscape of Ferry Point.

The Ferry Point project will originate at the Chesapeake Exploration Center and connect to the award winning Cross Island Trail. The Ferry Point trail will allow access to the cape bordered to the north by the Chester River and the east by the Kent Narrows. The trail and bridge is slated to be complete by summer 2009.