Wake Forest installs cameras at Dunn Creek Greenway after vandalism

Wake Forest has put four solar-powered, motion-activated cameras outside the tunnels on the Dunn Creek Greenway after vandalism damaged the newly opened trail sections and pushed the town to tighten security around a high-profile public amenity. Town officials said the cameras are meant to help police identify who is responsible while making the path safer for walkers, runners, cyclists and families using the greenway.

The damage happened sometime between the evening of March 11 and the morning of March 13, 2026, when spray paint hit trails, fencing, curbing, signage and the tunnel area along Phase 3 of the project. Town officials said cleanup, replacement signage and other repairs could cost well over $1,000. Crowder Construction warned that the vandalism could delay the opening of Phase 3, a setback for a project that was only weeks from finishing.

Nick Nolte said the timing was especially frustrating because the town was close to opening the new section for residents who had been waiting to use it. Bill Crabtree said the cost of the damage could climb well above $1,000, underscoring how even a relatively small act of vandalism can turn into a larger bill for taxpayers when it hits new public infrastructure.

The town said the camera footage is stored locally and is not broadly accessible. Only Wake Forest police, town information technology staff and the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department can view it, a setup the town said was intended to balance security with privacy and data control rather than turn the trail into a heavily monitored space.

The response also reflects the scale of the Dunn Creek expansion. Construction on Phases 3 and 4 began in December 2024 and is funded by the 2022 Bond Referendum. Phase 3 adds 1.8 miles to the Dunn Creek network and is designed to connect the current trail end north of Dr. Calvin Jones Highway/NC 98 Bypass with Ailey Young Park and the Traditions neighborhood network. Phase 4 links Flaherty Park, Flaherty Farms and the Del Webb community to the greenway. The trail begins at Smith Creek Soccer Center and includes paved and boardwalk segments.

Wake Forest later said Dunn Creek Greenway Phases 3 and 4 officially opened on May 8, 2026, but town officials have treated the vandalism as a warning sign for a system that is still growing. Nolte said protecting public amenities is shared work, and police rely on residents as the town’s “eyes and ears.”