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Newest State Park Gets Hundreds More Acres, Opens For Business

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A lot of the "keep out" signs are coming down on Hart-Miller Island. What was a tiny foothold of a state park has been expanded into hundreds of acres.

Alex DeMetrick reports it's now open to the public.

Up until Friday, most people were only allowed to come to a narrow strip of beach at Hart-Miller Island or to pass by on boat. It was a tiny, but very popular state park.

"On the weekends, this place... hundreds of boats out here," said park visitor Ken Higgins.

"Previously to today, you had the beach and camping and picnicking, and those were the only features that you could enjoy her eon the island," said State Park Ranger Dean Hughes.

But you don't have to stay on the beach anymore.

"Now we're going to have half of Mart-Miller Island to use as a recreation spot for folks who like to do bird watching, folks who like to go camping," said Department of Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton.

Three-hundred acres; the lush green end of the island has five miles of trails. The north end is still off limits because it's still being built up from dredge material -- 98 million cubic yards so far have been sculpted and planted over four decades to become a state park.

"We've seen the progress over the years, and it's just been magnificent," said park visitor Mary Gay Higgins.

It wasn't always birdsong and scenery.

"I guess as a citizen, I'm the first to say we were probably wrong," said Paul Brylske.

Brylske was among those who fought the project, worried dredge materials would pollute local waters. They haven't.

"It's really wonderful how we could have such a contentious relationship turn into... to transform into a partnership," he said.

"And to enjoy the views that this place officers is just an unbelievable spot out to be out here in the Chesapeake Bay," Hughes said.

The island will now be open to the public Thursdays through Mondays until the end of September.

Once restoration of the northern end of the island is complete, it, too, will be open to the public.

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