CAMBRIDGE, Md. - Improvements are underway at the Cambridge cemetery on Academy St.
The Cambridge Cemetery Project was started by Commissioner Chad Malkus. It's a non-profit organization to beautify the city of Cambridge.
And recently the project has gotten some much needed funding to replace the rusted chain link and barbed wire fence with a black ornamental iron fence. Malkus says the new fence will improve the city and surrounding neighborhoods.
Malkus says, "I think it's going to be a really nice impact, visually. Part of the cemetery is along one of the gateways in Cambridge so it's really important to make that as appealing as possible."
However, while he thinks it's all going to benefit the community, he says its been hard to get funding.
"Struggles. It's just time and effort when working on this project. Sometimes you get the grants and sometimes you don't. You just have to keep trying," says Malkus. He added that the renovation of the fence is a really great first step.
But Malkus doesn't want to stop at fence renovations. He wants to completely beautify the cemetery.
Those in the county are happy to support them again when the request for grants do come. President of the Dorchester County council, Lenny Pfeffer says, "Any request that comes as a letter of support, I would strongly bring those to the County Council for further consideration."
Neighbors are happy with the progress so far. "I heard about the repairs being done to the fences and I have family buried out here. I wanted to see what was going to be done and how they were going to improve the burial site," says Eric Windsor.
Commissioner Malkus says the new fencing will cost around $130,000. He says it should be completely installed by April.
