La Plata, MD – The Pope’s Creek Rail Trail is moving forward.
Eileen Minnick, Charles County director of recreation, told the Charles County Commissioners Tuesday, June 20 that barring any hiccups along the way, construction on the new trail could begin as early as next summer.
In January 2014, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources was awarded a $1 million federal grant to preserve 220 acres of the Popes Creek watershed. The thought was to establish a new rail trail along the abandoned Popes Creek rail bed, a distance of some two miles.
“One of the goals of the county recreation and parks and tourism is water access,” said Parks Director Jon Snow. “It’s a real challenge to get waterfront access.”
Snow said the county is adding boat ramps and kayak launches at Port Tobacco River Park and Chapel Point.
“Everyone in Charles County wants it, but not everyone is a boater,” Snow said. “But they still want water access. These projects will do a really good job of providing that.
“Popes Creek is one of our best opportunities for waterfront access,” he added. “We’ve got a really good opportunity to create a water access venue on and off the water.
Steve Engle of Vista Design Inc. outlined a conceptual plan for the trail, which includes an elevated observation platform over the Potomac River and a possible museum at the site of the old Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative power plant at Popes Creek, built in 1938. The facility closed in 1953, but because it was as the first power-generating station to serve Southern Maryland, its flat-roof, brick structure and arched windows make it architecturally worth preserving.
“We would like very much to incorporate the old power plant into the rail trail plans,” Engle said. “There’s a lot of history with this area. It would be a very nice enhancement for the Popes Creek area.”
The trail would run from the old power plant on to Route 301, he added.
“We are very proud of this project,” Minnick stated.
Once permits and process are determined, Engle said the work won’t actually take that long.
“There’s not a lot of work as far as what has to be constructed,” he said.
Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com