Women's Clothing Boutique Near Me Fuquay Varina, NC

Kristen Stiltner’s family has participated in Fuquay-Varina’s parks and recreation programs for over 10 years.

The real estate agent’s sons, ages 14 and 7, have played flag football and other sports and celebrated birthdays in the community centers in Fuquay-Varina and in Angier, in neighboring Harnett County.

Normally, a trip to the Fleming Loop Park in Fuquay-Varina takes about 10 minutes, but after the town moved flag football to the Banks Road Fields last season, the drive to the other side of town can take a half hour.

“Obviously, with the influx of people coming into this area, it’s certainly gotten a lot more crowded,” Stiltner said. “So that made it more difficult when you’re used to something quite literally for 10 years or more. There’s so many kids.”

Fuquay-Varina’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department serves over 10,000 children in southern Wake County. Over the last four years, it’s seen a nearly 50% increase in participation in adult and youth parks programs, forcing it to cap registration and limit games and practice times.

Now, two years after the town’s last parks and recreation bond, Fuquay-Varina leaders hope to alleviate the strain with a $60 million bond this fall to improve and add to its 17 parks, two tennis facilities and community center.

A 70-acre park with baseball, softball and soccer fields, shelters and restrooms is one of the new projects the bond would fund.

If approved by voters on Nov. 7, the bond would also enhance Hilltop Needmore Town Park & Preserve on Shady Green Drive. The park has five miles of trails for biking and walking. The bond would add two fields, pickleball courts, resurfacing of the trails, and more parking.

Other projects include

If the bond fails, Assistant Town Manager Mark Matthews, said the future park, indoor sports complex, additional greenways, and the first phase of improvements at Hilltop Needmore could be deferred.

“We’ve advanced this bond referendum because the town board has been very responsive to the needs of the community,” Matthews said. “But it’s also based on our participation trends in our youth and adult sports. It’s a big positive sign for having a healthy and active community.”

Trails and greenways were one of the top priorities for Fuquay-Varina residents, according to a 2022 survey. A senior center and more information about programs were also important.

Andy Shell, a father and former girl’s softball coach for Fuquay-Varina’s parks and recreation department, said over the years, it was clear more space would help overcrowding and allow for more practice times.

“The more programs you can offer, the more things that you can do, the better it is and you can definitely affect a lot of different people,” Shell said.

In 2021, voters in Fuquay-Varina approved an $18.5 million Parks and Recreation Bond for the construction of Community Center North at Hilltop Needmore Park.

The 77,000-square-foot center will include an adult center, fitness areas, kitchen, gyms and an indoor track and should be completed by 2025.

“All our residents, young and old and somewhere in between, need the facilities to be able to participate in,” Matthews said.

Stephen Kish, 80, is an active pickleball player at Fuquay-Varina’s community center. The facility has five indoor courts for the game to accommodate up to 20 people at a time. Sometimes, the games will bring more than 60 people out to play.

“It’s probably the largest activity played by the seniors in town,” Kish said. “We have, generally, over 50 people every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the community center. With 62 people, you can wait more than a half hour just to get a game in.”

Kish said seniors in Fuquay-Varina have been advocating for more programs and space for them. Community Center North will also provide a computer lab that older adults can use.

“As a senior, the community center is sort of the lifeblood for me to stay active,” Kish said. “Aside from events that are promulgated through the community center and Parks and Recreation, there is not much for seniors to do.”

Jonathan Cox, the director of the town’s Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Department, said people from all over western and southern Wake County participate in Fuquay-Varina’s parks programs.

To accommodate overcrowding at facilities, registrations for classes or sports are first opened to residents of Fuquay-Varina. Then, non-residents are able to register. Most of the programs are 60% residents and about 40% non-resident participants.

“We want to make sure all residents in Fuquay-Varina have a recreation outlet in close proximity to their home as the footprint of Fuquay-Varina continues to grow and that we’re adding additional facilities throughout the town,” Cox said.

Yes. If approved, residents would see a property-tax increase of 8 cents per $100 of assessed property value.

The impact on the median family home in Fuquay-Varina, which was $280,106 in 2022, would be $224 per year or $19 per month.

The bond would be repaid with interest over seven years.

Town staff plan to visit community groups to share information about the bond referendum ahead of the election.

To arrange a speaker, contact Susan Weis, the town’s communications director, at 919-552-1417 or sweis@fuquay-varina.org.

This story was originally published August 24, 2023, 11:41 AM.

Mattamy's Bloom community will provide flexible housing options for prospective homeowners seeking rural charm, in a convenient location

RALEIGH, N.C., March 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Mattamy Homes, North America's largest privately owned homebuilder, continues its expansion in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, with the purchase of 187 acres of land in Harnett County. This community – to be known as Bloom – will mark Mattamy's fifth community in Harnett County.

"As Raleigh continues to grow, more people are looking to purchase homes outside of the historically core market," says Bob Wiggins, President of Mattamy's Raleigh Division. "By adding Bloom to Mattamy's existing line-up of thoughtful communities in Harnett County – just two miles from the Wake County line – we are providing further housing options and choice to prospective buyers who are seeking rural charm, in a convenient location."

Bloom will encompass a collection of 138 single-family homes on lot sizes averaging ¾ acre to one-acre or more, in ranch and two-story variations. Floorplans will range from 2,100 to 3,500 square feet, with three-car garage options available. Pricing is anticipated to start from the upper $300,000's, with sales expected to open later this year.

Situated between Raleigh (approximately 18 miles northeast) and Fort Liberty (approximately 28 miles southwest), Bloom will offer convenient access to main transportation corridors (NC-210 and US-401) as well as a variety of shops, entertainment, educational institutions, employment opportunities and more.

Designed to promote social interaction and wellbeing, Bloom will include amenities such as shared green spaces and social spaces, a community pond with a gathering area, and colorful gardens that will elevate the area's natural beauty.

"Once built, the entrance to Bloom will create a true sense of arrival with rows of North Carolina wildflowers blooming to the left and right, and sections of rustic fencing, draped with string lights," says Renee Carlson, Director of Marketing for Mattamy's Raleigh Division. "To continue the floral theme, the street names of Bloom will also reflect several wildflower species that are native to Harnett County."

Bloom joins Mattamy's Providence Creek, Stonebarrow, Cardinal Landing and Riverfall communities in Harnett County with more developments on the horizon.

About Mattamy Homes

Mattamy Homes is the largest privately owned homebuilder in North America, with 45 years of history across the United States and Canada. Every year, Mattamy helps more than 8,000 families realize their dream of homeownership. In the United States, the company is represented in 11 markets — Dallas, Charlotte, Raleigh, Phoenix, Tucson, Jacksonville, Orlando (where its US head office is located), Tampa, Sarasota, Naples and Southeast Florida. In Canada, its communities stretch across the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton. Visit www.mattamyhomes.com for more information.

SOURCE Mattamy Homes Limited

March 18, 2024

[Joint news release with the Town of Fuquay-Varina]

Fuquay-Varina established its first municipal fire station in 1951. Almost 75 years later, the Town will celebrate the opening of Fire Station 4, located at 4821 Wade Nash Road, at a ribbon cutting on March 21 at 2 p.m.

The 18,650-square-foot station houses both the Fuquay-Varina Fire Department and Wake County Emergency Medical Services and is designed to meet the community's current needs, anticipate growth, prioritize firefighter safety and honor the department's history.

“Fire Station 4 is a labor of love to this community and our firefighters,” said Fuquay-Varina Fire Chief Jim Jones. “This new facility will reduce the district's response times, provide state-of-the-art amenities and protection for our firefighters, and promote the history of this great department. We have been blessed with a strong vision for the future, willing partners and a staff committed to making a difference in our community.”

Wake County contributed just over $4 million to Station 4’s total $10.44 million in construction costs. The project is an important investment in first responders providing services to the Fuquay-Varina area. The town’s population has increased by approximately 35% since 2020. This means there are thousands more nearby residents that may someday need to call for help.

“Wherever you are in Wake County, you can rely on our dedicated first responders to help during an emergency,” said Wake County Board of Commissioners Chair Shinica Thomas. “We are proud to work together with our municipal partners to keep our residents safe by providing these agencies with top-of-the-line facilities and equipment.”

The new station is expected to significantly reduce emergency response times north and west of downtown Fuquay-Varina. This will be a welcome boost to the Fuquay-Varina Fire Department, which is one of the busiest departments in Wake County. In 2023 alone, its members responded to 5,786 calls. Last year, Wake County EMS responded to 14,470 calls in the region that Station 4 will now serve.

“The Town of Fuquay-Varina continues to be ranked as the safest town in North Carolina,” said Fuquay-Varina Mayor Blake Massengill. “Our Town Board has prioritized investing in public safety, and I am excited to see Station 4 open and bring value to the town.”

Ribbon cutting event Media are encouraged to attend the ribbon cutting celebration at 2 p.m. on March 21. The event will feature remarks from:

Please RSVP to sweis@fuquay-varina.org.

Station features Station 4 will feature three drive-through apparatus bays, dayrooms and bunk rooms, a kitchen, offices for administrative staff and ample storage space.

The new station also includes a separate decontamination building. Here, equipment and gear will undergo cleaning. At the same time, firefighters can promptly shower and change clothes following fire service calls to prevent harmful cancer-causing combustion products from entering the main facility. Designated decontamination facilities are just one of many initiatives that fire services leaders in Wake County and across the nation are implementing to help prevent firefighter occupational cancer.

Additionally, Fuquay-Varina Station 4 will house the Tony Mauldin History Room, named after long-time Chief Tony Mauldin, who served for 22 years before passing away in November 2022. The history room will highlight the FVFD’s rich history. The centerpiece will be a fully restored 1945 Mack Truck, the first truck bought by the Town of Fuquay Springs. Fuquay Springs and Varina merged to become Fuquay-Varina in 1963.

Station 4 was designed by Davis Kane Architects and constructed by Bobbitt Construction.

Department

Fire Services

A contractor’s error when building a new housing development caused a 240,315-gallon spill of untreated sewage in Fuquay-Varina, town officials reported Thursday.

When people started to move into the 22-home development earlier this year, the contractor should have removed a plug separating the development’s sewage system from the town’s pipes, Michael Wagner, Fuquay-Varina’s utilities director, said in an interview.

That plug wasn’t removed, though, resulting in a sewage backup and ultimately a spill out of a manhole in a wooded area on the road’s southern edge..

“Everything kind of backed up and then it ultimately just found the lowest level and a spot to relieve itself,” Wagner said.

To clean the spill up, utility staff dug a hole and placed a pump into it, Wagner said. Then the town sprayed as much of the sewage and wastewater as possible back into the hole and pumped it back into the sewer system before using a vacuum truck to remove it.

Then, utility employees spread lime over the disturbed earth in an effort to kill any bacteria or pathogens before putting hay over the area.

The town reported that there was no detrimental impact to the nearby stream, an unnamed tributary of Basal Crrek, or to the surrounding area.

An erosion control fence still in place from the construction may have prevented the sewage from spreading further, Wagner said.

As a result of this spill, Wagner said, Fuqay-Varina will require its engineering inspectors to watch developers remove the plug separating the new sewage system from the town’s utilities in future developments.

Fuquay-Varina officials have reported the spill to the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, which could issue a notice of violation to the town.

The spill is the fourth-largest in North Carolina this year, according to DEQ records.

Monday, Havelock reported a 585,000-gallon spill from wastewater treatment basins following heavy rainfall, according to WNCT. That followed a reported 500,000-gallon spill in January after an underground line broke around the city’s wastewater plant.

The other larger spill was in Morganton, where on Jan. 9 city officials reported a spill of 560,000 gallons after flooding in the area.

This story was produced with financial support from the Hartfield Foundation and Green South Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. The N&O maintains full editorial control of the work. If you would like to help support local journalism, please consider signing up for a digital subscription, which you can do here.

This story was originally published March 7, 2024, 4:33 PM.

919-829-4669

Adam Wagner covers climate change and other environmental issues in North Carolina. His work is produced with financial support from the Hartfield Foundation and Green South Foundation, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners, as part of an independent journalism fellowship program. Wagner’s previous work at The News & Observer included coverage of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and North Carolina’s recovery from recent hurricanes. He previously worked at the Wilmington StarNews.

Behind the Aviator Brewing Company, amid the trucks and rows of empty beer kegs, sits an airplane cut in half, its nose and tail sections placed side by side.

The plane is a Douglas C-54, introduced during World War II to carry cargo for the U.S. military. This particular C-54 played a supporting role in the Berlin Airlift, when American and British planes ferried food and fuel to sections of the German capital for more than a year after the Soviet Union blocked land access to the city in 1948.

Tim Chopp was still flying the plane as late as 2019. Chopp is founder and president of The Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation, and for more than two decades he took the C-54, dubbed Spirit of Freedom, to air shows, telling the story of the airlift.

Chopp has only seen pictures of the plane in pieces.

“Oh, my heart broke seeing it all cut up like that,” he said by phone from his home in New Jersey. “I mean all the hours I flew that airplane. Did so many nice things with it during that time, flying all over the country. So to see that happen to it, it was awful.”

And yet, there really wasn’t any choice, Chopp says. And now he’s looking forward to the next chapter of the plane’s life as a showpiece in Aviator Brewing’s new brewery, restaurant and bar complex now under construction in downtown Fuquay-Varina.

Chopp would still be flying Spirit of Freedom had it not been damaged by a tornado at the Low Country Airport in Walterboro, South Carolina, in April 2020. The plane had been taken to the airport for some electronics work, then left parked as the unfolding COVID-19 pandemic canceled air shows.

The tornado picked up the plane and flew it backward 170 yards into a hangar. A steel beam cut through the left wing, while the hangar door took a chunk out of the right. The bottom of the fuselage was sliced open, and the flight control system was badly damaged.

“The wing damage was so severe that there was no instructions on how to repair that much damage,” Chopp said. “As one guy said, ‘The best way to repair this is to build a Douglas Aircraft factory first and then build it.’”

The Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation set out to find another C-54. It found one in Florida and has been working to restore the plane and turn it into a new Spirit of Freedom flying museum that the original was all those years.

Meanwhile, the damaged plane sat at Low Country Airport. Unable to find a buyer, Chopp said, it appeared the foundation would have to scrap it.

That’s where Mark Doble comes in.

Doble is founder and CEO of Aviator Brewing. As the theme of his business implies, he’s passionate about flying and aviation history. Doble says he heard about the damaged C-54 through aviation circles and thought it might be a good addition for the new brewery and restaurant complex.

“It just popped up,” he said. “And when we heard about it, we’re like, ‘Oh, they’re probably going to want a ton of money.’ And then logistics and expenses, and we’re like, ‘Oh, we probably can’t do it.’”

But Chopp was getting desperate. Selling it for scrap was going to end up costing him $25,000 in labor and transportation costs. So he offered it to Doble for $2,500.

“Mark saved me $25,000 by buying it from me for $2,500,” he said.

There was still the challenge of hauling the plane 240 miles from Walterboro to Fuquay-Varina. A C-54 is more than 93 feet long, with a wingspan of more than 117 feet. The only solution was to cut the plane into pieces.

Doble and Kenny Agnor, Aviator’s head of brewery operations, did the work themselves. They cut the fuselage in half so it could be loaded onto two flatbed trucks. They also cut the wings in half. The ends of the wings slid easily inside the plane, but the sections closest to the fuselage wouldn’t fit.

“It was just too wide and large,” Doble said. “It would have taken two more trucks. It would have doubled our cost. So we left it, and they scrapped it.”

The plane, in two sections on two trucks, departed Walterboro in April 2023, more than three years after the tornado.

The Berlin Airlift foundation kept parts of the airplane to help it restore and maintain its replacement, including tires, brakes, propellers and three of the engines. The cockpit has been stripped, and parts of the wings and tail fins remain stacked inside the front section of the plane.

As bad as the tornado damage was, Agnor says, “it looks more tragic now because we had to take it apart.”

Lifting and trucking the pieces from South Carolina cost about $8,000, Doble said. He plans to build a concrete cradle for the plane and reassemble it, so people can go inside. Aviator will also need to build frames for the missing wing sections, so people will see just how big the C-54 is.

Doble hopes to have the plane in place when the new brewery, restaurant and bar complex opens early next year.

Doble has asked Chopp to be there for the grand opening and to speak about the C-54 and the Berlin Airlift. Chopp has provided all of the plane’s flight logs going back to the 1940s and will help with the educational materials that Aviator Brewing will display in and around it.

Which is why Chopp considers the Spirit of Freedom’s move to Fuquay-Varina a good ending for its long flying career.

“I think it’s something we can be proud of,” he said. “It will be continuing its educational purpose by doing what it’s doing with Mark. Whoever looks at it and reads the information will be getting educated about what the airlift was all about That’s what we do.”

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This story was originally published April 18, 2024, 7:30 AM.