Nearly a year after the state Board of Public Works approved renaming the fishing piers over the Choptank River in honor of long-time outdoors writer Bill Burton, the sign is up and a July dedication ceremony is in the works.
Bill Burton Fishing Piers State Park--the state's second smallest park--was once the ends of the U.S. 50 bridge on the outskirts of Cambridge. When a new bridge was nearing completion, the writer used his Evening Sun columns to successfully lobby state government to retain a portion of the old structure for anglers.
Just before he died last summer--weeks before the BPW vote--we had a little ceremony of our own in the form of a kid's fishing day on the pier. From his wheelchair, Burton told stories and signed certificates of achievement for every young angler, including his granddaughter, MacKenzie Boughey.
He was pleased the state chose to honor him with a fishing spot accessible to everyone.
The State Highway Administration refused to create a sign, saying it didn't have the money (guess it went broke making all those ICC/Martin O'Malley signs). Really, folks, how much could a single sheet of metal cost in the scheme of things?
Luckily the Fisheries Service ponied up--good on them--and the sign is posted, as this photo of Mackenzie Boughey shows.
We'll have more on the dedication when details are firmed up with the Burton family.