The Mathews Land Conservancy has demolished two piers at Williams Wharf Landing in preparation for improvements to the site that include a fishing dock and, eventually, a waterfront rowing and event rental facility.

The remains of the old oil dock pier with creosote-treated timbers and the travel lift dock made of salt-treated wood will be disposed of differently under Environmental Protection Agency regulations, said conservancy spokesman Tom Lakin. Until then, the large piles of detritus are being stored on-site, surrounded by silt fencing.

A 62-foot fishing dock with a 100-foot T-head is expected to be completed sometime in the spring, said Lakin. It will provide residents with a place to fish in 12-foot-deep water, and it will be large enough to also accommodate the occasional research or educational vessel such as the Godspeed or the schooner Virginia.

Lakin explained that there aren’t many places in the county that provide public access for fishing and that a large num...