The Town of Wake Forest will follow North Carolina’s Safer-At-Home Phase 2 Order as outlined by Governor Roy Cooper’s Executive Order No. 141 which began at 5 p.m. Friday, May 22. The Safer At Home Phase 2 runs through at least Friday, June 26.
Several Town operations and programs will be adjusted during Phase 2.
Town Hall
After a sanitizing cleaning, the Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 South Brooks Street, opened to the public on a limited basis on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Town staff will be screened for temperature daily upon arrival, and anyone with a reading of 100.4 or greater will be required to return home. While at work, staff will have the option to wear face covering. Finally, a deep cleaning will occur throughout Town Hall each day after 3 p.m.
As the Town begins the process of gradually and carefully reopening, anyone planning to visit Town Hall is strongly urged to follow these guidelines:
- Make an appointment, if possible;
- Wear face covering;
- Utilize hand sanitizing stations;
- Maintain a six-foot distance between yourself and others.
Please note: Staff at all Town facilities will retain a daily log of visitors to facilitate contact tracing in the event a COVID-19 outbreak occur.
Wake Forest residents are encouraged to continue using online services when possible to conduct business. The Town’s full array of online resources is available through the Customer Service Central (CSC) portal. In addition, residents may continue to drop off utility bill payments, rental deposits and paperwork (leases, letters of credit, copies of photo IDs, etc.) in the drive-up drop box located in Town Hall’s Brooks Street parking lot. Town staff will check the drop box twice daily and mail acknowledgements and receipts upon request.
Anyone with questions or concerns is encouraged to call 919-435-9400 or complete the online Contact Us form, and staff will reply promptly during normal business hours.
Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources facilities, including Joyner Park Community Center, Flaherty Park Community Center, Wake Forest Community House and Alston-Massenburg Center, will remain closed to the general public during Phase Two. A limited number of programs will be offered at these facilities, so only registered participants will be allowed to enter.
The Taylor Street Park Sprayground, 416 N. Taylor St., is scheduled to open for the season in June, but with restrictions in place to keep visitors safe. For example, the facility will be limited to 50 percent occupancy and visitors will be required to adhere to social distancing guidelines. An official opening date will be announced in the coming days.
No decision has been made concerning the opening of Holding Park Aquatic Center, 133 W. Owen Ave. Updates will be provided as they become available.
In other PRCR news:
- All greenways, parks, tennis and outdoor pickleball courts, and park bathrooms remain open;
- Beginning Saturday, May 23, at 8 a.m., all picnic shelters, outdoor basketball courts and batting cages will re-open, but no more than 25 people will be allowed to assemble;
- Playgrounds and baseball/softball fields remain closed and water fountains turned off.
Solid Waste
Bulk waste collection will resume Tuesday, June 2. To schedule a bulk pick-up, complete the online bulk waste pick-up request form at http://bit.ly/WFBulkPickupForm by 2 p.m. Monday, June 1.
Residents without internet service can schedule their pick-up by calling 919-435-9570 by 2 p.m. June 1. Residents who call after hours may leave a voicemail message. All voicemail requests for bulk pick-up service must include the resident’s name, physical address, and telephone number, along with a description of the bulk waste items to be collected. Any service request that does not include the required information will not be processed.
When scheduling a bulk waste pick-up, Wake Forest residents are urged to follow the Town’s bulk waste guidelines. Defined in the Town of Wake Forest Code of Ordinances as “refuse weighing in excess of 75 pounds each,” bulk waste includes any item that does not fit in the Town-issued roll-out garbage cart. Examples of bulk waste pick-up items include furniture, lawn mowers, swings, and book shelves. For more information, visit wakeforestnc.gov and search “Bulk pickup.”
Bus Service
Wake Forest Loop B resumed normal operations on Tuesday, May 26, after being suspended since March 30 due to COVID-19. Wake Forest-Raleigh Express service remains suspended until further notice.
Operated using GoRaleigh vehicles, Wake Forest Loops A and B offer fare-free service for residents traveling within Wake Forest and a portion of Wakefield. Riders are asked to board the GoRaleigh buses using the rear doors in an effort to promote greater social distancing. Front door access will be available for persons with disabilities. Per CDC guidelines, if you are sick, please stay at home and only travel if it is absolutely necessary. Please cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze, wash your hands frequently with soap and water, avoid touching your face, and keep distance between yourself and others. These practices can help limit the impact of COVID-19 on our community. For more information, call 919-485-RIDE (7433)
Event updates
Mass gathering limits in Phase 2 will be no more than 10 people indoors or 25 people outdoors in most circumstances. As a result, National Trails Day, originally scheduled for Saturday, June 6, has been postponed until a later date. All other Town-sponsored events in June have been canceled.
In addition, due to the mass gathering limits, the Town has canceled its traditional July 3 Fireworks Spectacular. However, instead of the conventional in-person celebration, officials plan to put on an aerial fireworks display that residents can watch in a variety of ways, including (but not necessarily limited to) Facebook Live and WFTV 10. Plans are still being developed, so specific details will be provided in the coming weeks.
Wake Forest’s July 4 festivities, including the annual Children’s Parade and Art-in-the-Park, have also been canceled. Planning was well underway for these events before the COVID-19 pandemic was declared. The Town of Wake Forest would like to recognize the Wake Forest Optimist Club and the Wake Forest Woman’s Club for pledging their support for these events.
For complete information about Town services during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit www.wakeforestnc.gov/covid-19-coronavirus.
What’s included in Safer At Home Phase 2?
Phase 2 lifts the Stay At Home order moving into a Safer At Home recommendation, especially for people over age 65 or at high risk for serious illness. Teleworking is also urged when possible.
Mass gathering limits in Phase 2 will be no more than 10 people indoors or 25 people outdoors in most circumstances. These limits apply to the following: event venues; conference centers; stadiums and sports arenas; amphitheaters; and groups at parks or beaches.
Some businesses will remain closed in Phase 2 including: bars; night clubs; gyms and indoor fitness facilities; indoor entertainment venues such as movie theaters, and bowling alleys.
Certain businesses will be open at limited capacity with other requirements and recommendations including: restaurants at 50% dine-in capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements; personal care businesses, including salons and barbers, at 50% capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements; pools at 50% capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements.
Employees of personal care businesses will be required to wear face coverings.
Childcare facilities, day camps and overnight camps will be open with enhanced cleaning and screening requirements. Retail businesses allowed to open in Phase 1 at 50% capacity will continue at that level.
Public health recommendations are provided for worship services to practice enhanced social distancing and other cleaning and hygiene practices.
Again, the Safer At Home Phase 2 runs through at least Friday, June 26.
#
