Bond Referendum 2003

We’ve spent the past few months preparing for a $160 million bond referendum on streets and recreation and explaining the choices involved.

On April 8, registered voters in Cary go to the polls to decide where we go from here.

The referendum covers $130 million for street improvements to reduce congestion and $30 million for recreation facilities.

March 14 is the deadline for registering or changing your address with the Wake County Board of Elections. We realize some of you get Bud later than that, so we hope you’ve seen our reminders in the paper and on the Web.

If you cannot go to the polls for any reason on April 8, you can vote ahead of time by mail or at certain locations beginning March 20.

For more voting information, call the Wake Board of Elections at (919) 856-6240 or go to www. wakegov.com. Click on Directory for the path to the Elections Board site. See “Absentee and One-Stop Voting” in the left-hand column.

The soft economy has brought down interest rates, making it a great time to lock in to those lower rates. Lower interest rates mean having to spend fewer dollars on finance charges.

Selling bonds to borrow money is the cheapest, fastest way to finance projects. How much of this “line of credit” we would use and when would depend on annual budgeting.

For lists of potential bond projects and other information, check out Bond Referendum 2003 in the Current Projects section of townofcary.org.

New Phase for Spring Daze

The Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival celebrates its 10th year this April in a new location with more to see and do than ever.

With Town Hall expansion under way, the festival has moved to the tranquility of Bond Park.

The festival will feature arts and crafts, your favorite foods, community group information, and entertainment on two stages. The hours are 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Parking is available at Bond Park Community Center , Cary Senior Center and the churches nearby.

Spring Daze is a more intimate version of the Lazy Daze festival, which is downtown in August.

For more information about Spring Daze, visit townofcary.org. or call  (919) 469-4061.

Funnel Facts

Tornados generally occur near the trailing edge of a storm, so the sun may even be out. The air may become very still.

If you’re at home, go to the basement, an inner hallway or small, windowless room or  closet.  Corners tend to attract debris, so go to the center of the room. Get under a piece of heavy furniture and hold onto it.

Never try to outrun a tornado by car. Tornados can shift direction quickly. Get inside a building or lie in a ditch well away from the car.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has much more tornado preparation and recovery information.

Pounding the Pavement

It’s time to put your business in the street - if you haven’t already.

The 25^th annual Cary Road Race is April 12 starting at Cary High School . It’s a great family event featuring a 5K run, a 10K run and a 1-mile “fun run.” There are opportunities for volunteers, too.

The 5K and 10K runs start at 8:30 a.m. ; the fun run is at 9:45 .

Registration fees are $7 (recreational runner) or $9 (competitive runner) in advance  and $2 extra on race day.  T-shirts cost $5.

Go online to our Recreation section to register. Call  (919) 469-4061 to get more information.

Bud Bits

Good Friday on April 18 is a Town holiday.

We’ll collect your household garbage, recyclables and curbside trash one day earlier than usual that week.  Yard waste will not be collected the week of Good Friday.  

Have some time to volunteer?  Sign up for one of these upcoming outdoor activities:

·  Spring Litter Sweep 2003 Call (919) 469-4090 to register. 

·  Hemlock Bluffs Trail workday Call (919) 387-5980. 

If firefighters were headed to your home, you’d want them there quickly and safely. So if you encounter a fire truck or other emergency vehicle with lights and siren on, don’t try to outflank it or turn in front.

Move to the right and stop to let it pass. Remember, it’s the right thing to do.

Home Maintenance - Earth Day Lessons

While you’re mulling that spring cleaning for your house, don’t forget about the home we share.

Cary ’s annual Earth Day celebration will be Saturday, April 12 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Ritter Park off West Lochmere Drive .

Find out how you can play an even larger role in preserving our natural resources and protecting the environment. It’s the perfect family event to learn what you can do to make every day Earth Day.

Learn how to make your own paper and other items from recyclable materials. Find out where to plant trees and how to take care of them.  Other topics include storm water, water conservation, woodland animal homes, and proper grease disposal. Learn more about Cary ’s greenway trails and the new system of bicycle routes.

Come out early for a chance to get a free T-shirt. Call (919) 469-4090 for more details.

Easy Rider

Now it’s even easier to ride C-Tran, Cary ’s door-to-door bus service by reservation.

Beginning March 3, you can make reservations for anywhere in Cary with as little as two hours’ notice, assuming there’s room.

And for the first time, you can buy tickets when you board the bus for $2 each way. Seniors and disabled persons pay $1 each way between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Call C-Tran at (919) 481-2020.

Road Test - Assessing Asphalt

We want your trips around town to go smoothly. So to keep the streets we maintain in good condition, a consulting service hits the road each year to find out which ones need attention most.

The consultants do a pavement condition survey and compile rankings for re-paving or repair. That’s the fairest way to figure out whose streets we get to first.

This year we’ve budgeted $1.4 million for repaving. How many streets get repaved this year will depend on contractors’ bids. The work is scheduled to begin this summer and be finished during the fall.

For this year’s priority list and other details, see Street Re-Paving in the Current Projects section of townofcary.org.

Stocked Market

Here’s a way to find good yields with little investment.

The Cary Downtown Farmers Market reopens the first Saturday in April in the Cary Depot parking lot downtown.

It’s stocked with locally grown produce; free-range, enzyme-free poultry and other meats; fresh flowers, herbs, baked goods, plants, honey, etc.

Hours are Saturday, 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. , and Tuesday from 2:30 p.m. until 6 p.m.

No re-sellers are allowed as vendors. They must live and produce their products within 50 miles of downtown Cary . Call (919) 380-9889 for more information.

Where to Look for Easter Fun for Little Ones

The annual Easter Egg Hunt for kids 10 and under will be Friday, April 18 in Bond Park at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.   Hunts are divided by age group. A magic show follows. Call (919) 469-4100.

Also on April 18, the Cary Teen Council holds Breakfast with the  Easter Bunny from 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. at the Kiwanis Shelter in Bond Park. Tickets (costing $3 or less) go on sale March 31 at Herbert C. Young Community Center . Advance tickets are required. Call (919) 460-4965 for details.

Joining Our Team - Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources

Our Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department  is committed to providing a wide variety of parks, recreation and cultural arts opportunities.

We provide programs in arts, fitness, dance, music, nature education, outdoor recreation, etc.

Part-time and seasonal positions include arts supply manager, camp counselor, camp director, camp group leader, cultural arts program assistants, field supervisors, instructors and more.

Arts center aides and scorekeepers can be 16 years old. For other positions you must be 18.

Check townofcary.org often to find out if there are any job openings that week. For more details, call (919) 469-4061 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Conservation Corner

Recycling Tip: If it’s rechargeable, it’s recyclable.  Drop off rechargeable batteries for recycling at any of the Town’s three community centers, at Town Hall, or at the William Garmon Operations Center on James Jackson Avenue . For more information, call the Public Works and Utilities Department at (919) 469-4090.  

Water Conservation Tip: Tempted to reseed or sod your fescue lawn this spring?  To improve its chances of survival, delay fescue planting until the fall when roots have a chance to get well established before the hot, dry summer weather sets in.  Well-established lawns can survive up to three weeks without water.  Save time, money, and water by planting or reseeding fescue in the fall or plant a warm season grass in the late spring or summer. See listings of warm season grass workshops in the April Bud and in your local newspapers.

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