Hickory residents, get ready to adjust your Friday plans. In a routine turn of events coinciding with the upcoming Easter weekend, the City of Hickory has announced a government shutdown for Good Friday, April 18. According to an update published on the City of Hickory's official website, all city offices will be taking a pause and will not reopen until the following Monday, April 21, at the precise time of 8:30 a.m.
However, not all municipal operations will grind to a halt. The Solid Waste Division, tasked with ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of our urban environment, will persist with its garbage and recycling pickup on a business-as-usual schedule. For those looking to indulge in some springtime landscaping, the Yard Waste Facility will also remain open, with mulch sales available from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday.
Hickory's bibliophiles should however take note – the public libraries are altering their usual rhythm in observance of the holiday. Both the Patrick Beaver Memorial main facility and the Ridgeview Branch of the Hickory Public Library will be closed on Good Friday. They will bounce back to their regular hours on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but will yet again close their doors on Sunday, April 20.
Recreation aficionados need not despair as the city's Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism department is only partially conforming to the festive respite. While the Administrative Offices and the Ceramics Studio at Winkler Park will be closed on Friday, public recreation centers will stick to their normal operations on both Friday and Saturday. And, for those seeking a breath of fresh air or a leisurely stroll, parks across Hickory will remain accessible, keeping their gates open 365 days a year.
