A drive down Highway 29 leaves a noticeable impression, there are portions of the road in need of a facelift.

Between the Alabama/Georgia state line and the intersection of Highway 50, the area surrounding Highway 29 needs work.

This location housed the Lanett Mill, a once-proud cornerstone of the Valley community. Today, the area does not resemble its esteemed heritage.

Visitors exiting Interstate 85 heading towards West Point are met with this site, which does not accurately encapsulate the community at large.

The property has been purchased and is in the middle of a cleanup, which is a positive and needed step. The quicker this area can be made to properly reflect the citizens who call the Greater Valley Area home, the better.

For the foreseeable future, passersby will see only rubble on this stretch of road.

But what about once all the scrap is gone, what next?

Whether it’s in the hands of the current owner or another party later on, a plan needs to be put in place for when the land is viable again.

With the amount of land there, here are a few suggestions:

• A large outdoor park
• A museum dedicated to the history of the Valley area
• A commercial center with plenty of room for new and interesting stores
• A Lanett sportsplex, similar to the one in Valley

There are a plethora of directions that will be beneficial to the community. As long as one is picked, positive change will follow.

Lanett is growing and improving, this site represents a needed area of change, that officials can and will see through.

The site is home to one of the largest economic engines the area has ever seen. While the mill is no more, this area can and should reflect the proud history and culture that is palpable in Lanett.