A waterfront nature park offering educational and recreational opportunities for Mathews residents has been proposed by the Mathews Maritime Foundation for a two-acre parcel of county-owned land on Gwynn’s Island.
The foundation presented the idea to the Mathews County Board of Supervisors during its meeting earlier this month, and the board sent the proposal to the Mathews County Planning Commission for further study.
The property is located at the end of South Bay Haven Drive and was acquired by the county in 2016 at the former property owner’s request with a FEMA Flood Hazard Mitigation Grant. Under the terms of the grant, the existing structure, which had been flooded multiple times, had to be demolished, and the property must permanently remain open space. Only small-scale recreational uses are permitted, and only open-sided structures, public restrooms, and small boat ramps or docks are allowed to be constructed.
Maritime Foundation vice president Tom Robinson said he envisions a...