(This is the first step in building an informative standing article about Wake Forest’s growth and changes based on information in the town’s Project Tracker for capital projects, interviews, planning department documents and hearing and other information.) Streets, Roads, Greenways and Transportation *Stadium Drive Complete Street is listed as in the construction phase. The December update says that the town board approved the $6,789,876 contract with the Fred Smith Company in December and construction is planned to begin in March. Utilities are being moved. Assistant Town Engineer Holly E. Miller said last week, “We anticipate construction beginning in March 2018 and completion in fall 2019.” The project includes resurfacing North Avenue. There will be a roundabout at the intersection of Stadium, North Avenue and Wingate Street. A center turn lane will be added to Stadium along with turn lanes at intersections and driveways and bump-outs for buses. From Glencoe Drive

The Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 Brooks Street, will host a special open house on Monday, Feb. 5, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Arts Annex. The event is designed to showcase the array of arts classes the Renaissance Centre will offer beginning Tuesday, March 1. Area residents are invited to drop in any time between 5:30 and 7 p.m. to tour the Arts Annex and meet the class instructors who will be on hand to answer questions and provide information about various offerings, including arts programming for children and adults. For more information, contact Renaissance Centre Specialist Debra Horton at 919-435-9566 ordhorton@wakeforestnc.gov.

Cemetery Advisory Board (CAB) is seeking local history buffs and storytellers who can help local history come alive during the Historic Wake Forest Cemetery Walking Tour. The CAB sponsors the annual walking tour to highlight the cemetery’s historical significance and the fascinating stories of the people buried there. The tour also celebrates the lives of the men and women who established the Wake Forest community, as well as its culture and destiny. This year’s Historic Wake Forest Cemetery Walking Tour will be Saturday, May 12, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Volunteer docents are needed on the day of the event to stand or sit at various locations throughout the cemetery and recount the lives, accomplishments and contributions of our historic and notable cemetery residents. The CAB also wants to hear from area residents who have personal stories to share about the history of Wake Forest but are not interested

Join your friends and neighbors in downtown Wake Forest on Saturday, Feb. 10, for the Sixth Annual Wake Forest Mardi Gras Street Festival. Presented by Gladwell Orthodontics, this family-friendly celebration is scheduled from 11 a.m.to 3 p.m., and admission is free. Promising fun-filled activities for both children and adults, the Mardi Gras Street Festival will include face painters, strolling entertainers, live music, an inflatable playground, special contests and much more. One of the day’s highlights promises to be the Mardi Gras Walking Parade. The lineup will begin at 12:45 p.m. in town hall’s Centennial Plaza at 301 Brooks Street, and the parade gets underway at 1 p.m. The parade route will extend from town hall, up East Owen Avenue, and north along South White Street before ending at the Depot Parking Lot, 110 South White Street. The walking parade is open to both children and adults. No pre-registration is required;

*The Wake Forest Farmers Market will be open from 10 a.m. to noon (winter hours) Saturday, Feb. 3, in Renaissance Plaza on Brooks Street. Local farmers and artisans will offer meats, seasonal vegetables, bread and baked goods and other local wares. See the market’s Facebook page for information about the vendors. *Monday Night Bingo at The Factory is hosted by the Wake Forest Kiwanis Club in the Mill Room from 7 to 9:30 p.m. every Monday night. All profits support the club’s projects for children. Visit www.wakeforestbingo.com for more information. *Tri-Area Ministry Food Pantry at 149 East Holding Avenue is now open from 9 to 11 a.m. every third Saturday along with its regular hours on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for food distribution. It serves about 700 families in Wake Forest, Youngsville, Rolesville and their surrounding areas. Call 919-556-7144 for information about receiving food, volunteering