The Town of Wake Forest will host Downtown Plan Update Open House sessions at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St., Tuesday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and Wednesday, Sept.18, from 6-8 p.m. Both drop-in sessions will give community members the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft Downtown Plan. Both sessions will have an informal, open house-style format, along with the same content, so community members may drop in anytime to view displays, ask questions, and share comments. No formal presentation will be given.   Scheduled for adoption later this year, the updated Wake Forest Downtown Plan will provide recommendations and serve as a guide for future land use and development, transportation and parking, pedestrian mobility, redevelopment opportunities, and streetscape improvements throughout Downtown Wake Forest. For more information and updates, including answers to frequently asked questions, visit https://bit.ly/WFDowntownPlan

Many eyes are focused on the big national and state races, but the Nov. 5 ballot will also have a host of state and county races. The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce will fill that gap next week with a candidate debate. The Government Affairs Committee chaired by Brian Pate has set the debate for Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, and admission is free. It is sponsored by UNC Health. Pate has not announced which candidates are invited to the debate. The races covered and their candidates are: This debate offers a unique chance to hear directly from the candidates vying to represent our community. As a chamber dedicated to fostering connections between business and local government, we’re excited to facilitate this important dialogue. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to UNC Health for their generous sponsorship of this event. Their support enables

You can make a difference in our community by applying for an upcoming vacancy on a Town advisory board. The boards were established to give residents input into what happens in the community and advise the Board of Commissioners (BOC) on matters that affect citizens and their town government.  Applications are being accepted through Monday, Sept. 30, for appointments to the following boards and commissions:  Area high school students (grades 9-12) are also invited to apply to serve as representatives on every board, except the Planning Board and Board of Adjustment. Beginning September 1, the online advisory board application will be available on the Town website at http://bit.ly/TOWFAdvBoardApplication. Anyone without access to a computer is invited to complete the application by using a computer kiosk in the lobby of Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St. Hard copies are available upon request by contacting Deputy Town Clerk Ella Dowtin at 919-435-9436 or edowtin@wakeforestnc.gov.  

Special events are a key contributor to Wake Forest’s exceptional quality of life. In addition to numerous Town-organized annual events, such as Friday Night on White, Fireworks Spectacular, Good Neighbor Day, and Halloween Boo Bash, Wake Forest residents also enjoy many “Community Events.” These are Town-permitted special events in a public area (Festival Street/East Owen Avenue, South White Street, etc.) that a business, church, community group, or other organization plans, manages, pays for, and executes after applying for and receiving a Special Event Permit. Examples of “Community Events” include Meet in the Street (Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce), Cars & Carnivores (Wake Forest Rotary Club), and the Lighting of Wake Forest (Wake Forest Downtown, Inc.) – just to name a few. As part of the Town’s process for permitting Community Events, Wake Forest staff must approve the event location and may require the involvement of Police, Public Works, and/or

Beginning Tuesday, Oct. 1, the Town of Wake Forest will introduce a town-wide microtransit pilot program called “Go Wake Forest.” Microtransit is a ridesharing service that operates similarly to Uber and Lyft, connecting riders directly to destinations from their doorstep. In anticipation of the October 1 launch, the Town has launched a Go Wake Forest web page that provides comprehensive information about the new microtransit service.  Available at www.wakeforestnc.gov/transportation/go-wake-forest, the site includes a section of Frequently Asked Questions (and answers), along with a link to the online service district map. Prior to the launch of Go Wake Forest, the page will provide detailed instructions on how to use the service. All residents and visitors within the Town of Wake Forest’s jurisdiction will be eligible to use the on-demand transit service.  During the pilot phase of the microtransit service, Town officials will work to resolve any issues through rigorous testing and rider