In a disappointing turn for Raleigh residents looking forward to this weekend's revelries, the Gipson Play Plaza's grand opening events have been put on hold, citing inclement weather conditions. The city alerted citizens that dangerous lightning had been detected in the area, prompting a suspension of the scheduled activities and an advisory for attendees to seek immediate shelter.
The announcement was made Friday night through the city's website, prompting visitors already at the play plaza to either evacuate the area or retreat to the safety of their vehicles. Unfortunately, for those who had been anticipating the inaugural celebration of the new civic space, the weather had other plans. The City of Raleigh alert, posted online, cautioned, "There is lightning in the area. Opening events are suspended. If you are at the play plaza, evacuate or return to your car until further notice."
While the resumption of the event remained uncertain, Raleigh citizens were encouraged to stay informed on further developments through the city's social media channels. Updates regarding the status of the play plaza and potential rescheduling of events were expected to be disseminated via the city's official Twitter handle, @RaleighGov. Furthermore, the public could subscribe to real-time alerts by texting "GIPSONPLAY" to the number 888777.
