Concern for public safety forces Town to remove pine tree in Holding Park

On Wednesday, Nov. 9, a contractor working on behalf of the Town of Wake Forest, will begin removing a large pine tree from Holding Park, 133 W. Owen Ave., out of concern for public safety.

According to Urban Forestry Coordinator Luke Devores, recent efforts to locate a severe water leak in the park, along with saturated soil conditions caused by the leak, have caused the tree to become “unstable” and “likely to fail.”

“The threat to Holding Park visitors is too great,” said Devores. “The ground and the root system can no longer support the tree. We simply can’t run the risk of it toppling over onto the playground or somewhere else,” said Devores.

The Town is exploring possible uses for any usable wood that is cut down. The smaller limbs and branches may be chipped up and distributed as wood chips.

The removal of the tree is expected to be completed sometime next week. In the meantime, Holding Park remains closed, and crews have cordoned off the affected area with orange fencing. Residents are urged to obey the signs and avoid the area until the park reopens. For more information, contact Urban Forestry Coordinator Luke Devores at [email protected].

Last week, Raleigh Water determined the cause of the water leak to be a broken 12-inch water main in the intersection of South Main Street/US 1A and Elm Avenue. Crews repaired the main Thursday-Friday, Nov. 3-4.  

The Town of Wake Forest provides this information as a public service. Area residents are reminded that weather and other conditions can change rapidly and should plan accordingly. Planned closures and restrictions are necessary to allow for a variety of work. Dates, times, and work locations are subject to change due to inclement weather or last-minute changes in work schedules.