The Town of Wake Forest is celebrating Historic Preservation Month in May by offering free walking tours of the Northeast Community, Local Historic District (North Main Street), and South Main Street. Pre-registration is required for each tour by completing the online sign-up form at https://bit.ly/WFHistoricWalkingTours. Space is limited to the first 15 participants to sign up for each tour. Led by staff from Historic Preservation Planning Program, each tour will include discussions of the developmental and architectural history of the area, along with the significant men and women who shaped the community. Tours are outside only and will not include the inside of individual homes or buildings. Each tour is approximately 90 minutes and will be offered according to the following schedule: For complete details, visit https://bit.ly/WFHistoricWalkingTours or contact Senior Planner for Historic Preservation Michelle Michael at 919-435-9516 or mmichael@wakeforestnc.gov. ###

The Town of Wake Forest will join Wake County and over 40 other city, town, and county government employers at the first-ever Local Government Career Expo on Saturday, June 8, from 1-4 p.m. at the NC State University McKimmon Center, 1101 Gorman St., Raleigh. Job seekers will have the opportunity to attend information sessions on various local government careers, including public safety, business, health sciences, transportation, arts, communications, and hospitality and learn about upward mobility, the mission and purpose of local government careers, and more. Anyone planning to attend is encouraged to register for the event and indicate their career interest at https://logocareerexpo.com/. Information will be shared with participating employers. All participants who register in advance will have a chance to win prizes at the event, including a Fitbit, Apple Watch, Ray-Ban or Oakley sunglasses. Drawings will be held hourly, and you must be present to win. For complete details, visit https://logocareerexpo.com/. ###

We have experienced some really hot weather this year!  Are we still in Spring or has Summer arrived early? The local housing market has not been as volatile and is tracking about the same as it has for the last many months. The local numbers are in for April 2024 and here is what is happening: Contrary to what you might hear on the news, I don’t expect significant home price decreases as long as the number of homes listed remains low. Here is an update for the end of April: A year ago, the average sale price of a single-family home in the Triangle was $496,792 and increased $35,890 to $532,682 by the end of April. That is a 7.2% increase. The number of homes for sale was 5,330 a year ago and declined by 409 to 4,921 by the end of April for a decrease of 7.7%. This

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department will commemorate “National Physical Fitness Month” in May by offering a 50-Mile Walking Challenge for area residents ages 11 and older. Residents who accept the walking challenge commit to walk at least 50 miles in May and use a tracking card to record their progress. Walking locations may include neighborhoods, schools, churches, parks, and greenways – just to name a few. There is no cost to participate, and online registration is open through Friday, April 26, at https://wakeforestnc.recdesk.com/Community/Home (search “Walking Challenge”). Tracking cards will be emailed to all registered participants and available for pickup at Joyner Park Community Center (JPCC), 701 Harris Road. The first 100 participants to complete at least 50 miles and return their completed tracking cards to JPCC by Monday, June 3, will receive a 50-Mile Walking Challenge T-shirt. For more information about the 50-Mile Walking Challenge and the May

The Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department will offer a free outdoor fitness series five nights a week in May at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road. Free and open to area residents of all ages, May Month of Fitness will consist of the following weekly classes: All classes are free and require no registration. Each will be offered on its respective night from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Joyner Park Amphitheater. During the Women’s Self Defense classes, instructors from Quest Martial Arts will teach participating women a variety of techniques to avoid danger and defend themselves if necessary. Sessions will focus on practical and instinctive methods to get you out of harm’s way. Participants are encouraged to bring water. Cynergy Fit is an Outdoor Bootcamp Community in Wake Forest. Personal Trainer Cyndie Daniel will motivate, challenge and train participants to be stronger, faster, and better than the day

The Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Advisory Board will host a family-friendly 5K/3K walk/run as part of National Trails Day on Saturday, June 1, at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road. Check-in on the day of the event starts at 7 a.m., and the race begins at 8 a.m. Online registration is available at https://bit.ly/WFNationalTrailsDay. The entry fee for the 5K is $25 before March 31; $30 from April 1-May 14; $35 from May 15-30; and $40 the day before and day of the race. The entry fee for the 3K is $20 before March 31; $25 from April 1-May 14; $30 May 15-30; and $35 the day before and day of the race. Please note: Registrations will be accepted on the day of the event. Everyone who registers before May 15 will receive a race T-shirt. The National Trails Day 5K/3K is a timed walk/run for children and adults.

The Wake Forest Inspections Department issues a monthly report about all new building permits and new businesses. In February there were 57 permits issued for new single-family dwellings, 36 permits for townhouses and 26 permits for multi-family dwellings. There were no new commercial buildings approved . There were no fit-ups approved. There were four pre-occupancy inspections: Proforce Pest Control Raleigh LLC at Merritt Capital Drove, Suite 102 Mattress Now at 12267 Capital Boulevard Revolution Hearing at 2006 South Main Street, Suite 202 Big Blue Marble Academy at 1941 Heritage Branch Road Monarch Mental Health Counseling at 1780 Heritage Center Drive, Suite 204 ###

Based on the February 2024 Monthly Development Report, WF Planning Updated April 10, 2024 The updated Wake Forest population as of July 1, 2023 was 56,681. That figure included the new homes which were approved for occupancy. When all the current approved apartments, townhouses and single-family homes are built the population will rise to 69,956. The town keeps a running tally of approved projects with counts of those completed. The best inspections current estimate is that between seven and eight people move to town each day, moving into newly-built houses, townhouses or apartments and a few existing houses that were for sale. Projects under review There were only three changes between the January and February list of plans under review. No. 13, Traditions Grande Care Facility, a 119-bed nursing home nearing or completely built, was replaced by Friendship Chapel Road Spring Branch Crossing, a town infrastructure project for the bridge