Harford and Cecil tourism projects benefit from heritage grants

Five tourism projects along the Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway in Harford and Cecil counties have secured nearly $198,000 in matching grants from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority.

The town of Port Deposit in Cecil County will use $36,500 to complete the river walk promenade that links its Marina Park to its historic district. The project includes a pedestrian trail and interpretive signs at the Jacob Tome Gas House and Northern Map Turtle Refuge, a protected habitat for the endangered species.

Havre de Grace in Harford County will improve its North Park Trail with a grant of $34,300. The project will provide safe pedestrian, bicycle, vehicular and visual linkages from the trail to the city's Main Street and Susquehanna State Park. Another $22,267 grant will help restore windows at the city's Lock House Museum. The Skipjack Martha Lewis, a preserved oyster dredger berthed in the city's harbor, will have its main support beam refurbished with a $14,500 grant.

The final $90,000 portion of the grant was awarded to Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway, a Darlington-based non-profit organization, charged with linking natural, historic and cultural resources through land and water recreational trails. To date, 22 miles of continuous public recreation trails connecting Harford and Cecil counties have been constructed. The grant will help fund heritage area management, project reinvestment and a mini-grant program.

Mary.gail.hare@baltsun.com