Parks & Recreation Master Plan Update
The Town of Wake Forest is in the process of updating the 2015 Parks & Recreation Master Plan through its “Play It Forward Wake Forest” initiative coordinated by the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department and PRCR Advisory Board.“Play It Forward Wake Forest” urges all Wake Forest residents and visitors to provide input and support to enhance and expand the recreation opportunities for a growing community.
Open House
Monday, Aug. 5 | 6-8 pm
Wake Forest Town Hall, 301 S. Brooks St.
On Monday, Aug. 5, from 6-8 p.m. the PRCR Department and PRCR Advisory Board will host a public meeting (drop-in style open house) where attendees can share their thoughts and opinions on the draft Master Plan Update.
The meeting will take place in the Wake Forest Town Hall Ground Floor Meeting Room, 301 S. Brooks St. The room is most easily accessed via Town Hall’s Taylor Street entrance.
What is the Master Plan?
The Master Plan reflects the town's vision of a vibrant community that responds to the needs and desires of its residents and visitors for fun, healthy, exciting, and diverse activities.
The purpose of the plan is to look at where we are now, what the anticipated needs are for the future, and how we can improve and upgrade our existing facilities and programs to effectively serve residents and visitors in years to come.
Master Plan Update
Wake Forest is undertaking a year-long comprehensive process that will guide the development of the parks, recreation and cultural resources system over the next five years.
Residents, visitors, and stakeholders will have an opportunity to provide input throughout the process at the strategic milestones.
Community Engagement
Community input is the cornerstone of the Master Plan process. Since June 2023, the Town has utilized a variety of methods to engage the community and solicit its input to help shape the future of the PRCR Department.
Public Open House
The PRCR Department hosted two public meetings (drop-in style open houses) where attendees were asked for their input concerning the need for facilities, amenities, programs, and services – and how the Town of Wake Forest should prioritize its investments in recreational offerings. These open house sessions will take place according to the following schedule:
Scientific Survey
The project team mailed a survey to approximately 3,000 randomly selected households in Wake Forest. The questionnaire provided critical information in determining community values, satisfaction levels, needs, priorities, and demographics. Residents receiving the survey were encouraged to submit the mail-in survey or to use the link provided in the accompanying letter to submit the survey online.
Web-based Survey
After the project team received the required number of scientific survey responses, a web-based survey was released to the community to reach a broader audience and provide an opportunity for residents who were not selected in the random sample. The data obtained from the survey will be used to inform recommendations within the master plan.
Special Events
The project team and the PRCR Advisory Board organized an input session at the Lighting of Wake Forest on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023.
Focus Groups
The project team engaged with focus groups to evaluate the PRCR Department’s parks and recreation services across five user segments. Focus group participants were invited to weigh in on the extent to which Wake Forest parks and recreation facilities, programs, and services meet their unique needs.
Please be sure to "Play It Forward" by staying active in this process. Check this page often for information on future engagement opportunities to contribute to your parks and recreation master plan.
Share Your Feedback
You're also invited to submit any questions or concerns you have using the "Share Your Feedback" form below.
Who's Listening
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Phone 919-435-0560 Email rwall@wakeforestnc.gov -
Phone 919-435-9560 Email mlileton@wakeforestnc.gov -
Phone 919-435-9560 Email eaustin@wakeforestnc.gov -
Phone 919-435-9560 Email rhoyle@wakeforestnc.gov
Stop all the crowded building of residential developments! Procure and set aside vacant lands for small parks with shade trees in different areas throughout the town which can be a safe, short walk by sidewalks and greenways. Everyone within the town's jurisdiction should be able to leave the car at home and go for a safe walk under shade trees and have a bench to seat down every once in a while, and perhaps some swings and a slide or jungle gym for children. Are all public parks north of 98? The town has been negligent in their responsibilities for management of the ETJ, particularly south of 98.
We do not need developers, across the street from Joyner Park, taking away the beauty, integrity and wildlife. There are enough vacancies around that would warrant that is not needed. Save the trees!
I think it is a shame that rich developers and attorneys can just buy up such beautiful wooded area and clear cut them just got room for $$$$$$$
With paschal golf club at risk of going away, and wake forest cc closed many years ago, I’d like to see a municipal golf course built
From the overwhelming turnout our rapidly developing town has to outdoor park hosted events, such as Six Sundays in Spring, Boo Bash, and many others, it is clear that the town needs more open space for active and passive recreational events. In addition, the town needs to carefully consider what it allows to be developed in the areas surrounding Joyner Park. The town should work with the land owner and conservation groups to acquire and maintain the Harris Rd forested parcel across from Joyner as a nature preserve. Doing so would enhance the beauty and accessibility of the park while providing much needed passive open space.
We need better road infrastructure and road repair on several side and backroads like the inlet that leads from Capital Blvd. to the Firestone near Wal-Mart. Additionally, I find the rate of approval for new appartments and housing to be too high and too fast! What was once lush forest around the Cavness Farms and Cumarron areas is now turning into a suburban sprawl with what seems to be no regard for animal habitats or natural barriers between residential and highway locations. I feel like we're losing the "Forest" in Wake Forest.
The huge influx of new pickleball players in our area have made it an even greater need for more pickleball courts in Wake Forest. We have an opportunity to get a whole generation of people involved in a healthy, absolutely fun way to exercise and meet folks from any age and walks of life.
We are in desperate need of more tennis courts and better road infrastructure to accommodate the town’s rapid
Growth. Town keeps approving new apartment, housing and commercial structures without any regard for our current traffic problem. We can’t get out of our neighborhoods, can’t make left turn in or out of commercial centers. If the town needed to evacuate for any reason it would result in gridlock worst than what we are currently experience. It is ludicrous.