UPDATE: Parks and the White Deer Park Nature Center have reopened. Lake Benson Park, however, will remain closed to vehicular traffic on Friday in order to preserve the gravel road.
Town officials have activated the Emergency Operations Center and are actively monitoring Tropical Storm Debby and its impacts on the Town, which so far have been minimal. According to the latest forecasts by the National Weather Service in Raleigh, the brunt of the storm should be moving out of our area Thursday afternoon, though we could continue to see scattered showers that are heavy at times.
Given the latest forecasts and conditions in Garner, Town officials have decided that Town facilities and offices will reopen for regular hours and normal operations on Friday, Aug. 9. (White Deer Nature Park is an exception; please see below.) Solid waste service will be on regular schedule.
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Updates
- Town parks will start reopening on an individual, case-by-case basis Friday after thorough assessments and debris removal by Public Works crews. However, ballfields and multiuse fields will remain closed, and Lake Benson Park will remain closed to vehicular traffic on Friday in order to help preserve the gravel road in the park. White Deer Park Nature Center will reopen when the park does. The Town’s social media will provide relevant updates as they become available.
- The Garner Recreation Center, Avery Street Recreation Center and Garner Senior Center will be open for regular operations on Friday, and Meals on Wheels plans to serve participants at the Senior Center. For more information or questions, Meals on Wheels can be reached at 919-833-1749.
- The Towne Players of Garner’s Friday performance of “Shrek the Musical Jr.” will go on as scheduled at 8 p.m. at Garner Performing Arts Center. There will be additional shows on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets for the postponed Thursday show will be honored at any of the shows so long as they are not sold out. Tickets for all shows can be purchased in advance at GarnerPerformingArtsCenter.com.
- The Friday Family Flicks event at Garner Recreation Center has been rescheduled (weather permitting) for Saturday, Aug. 10, with activities starting at 7:30 p.m. and the movie beginning at 8:30.
Storm Resources
Finally, we want to remind motorists to exercise extra caution and be on the lookout for floodwaters on roadways. If you encounter standing water on a roadway and are at all uncertain about the level of hazard, please avoid it. As the expression goes: Turn around, don’t drown. Please stay safe.