Wednesday, January 3, 2001

[Editor's note: Longtime Peachtree City resident Vern Darley recently took his camera around Peachtree City to document his impressions of a city's changing faces.]

Because of decisions made in 2000 and before, significant changes in Peachtree City's shopping, public services, population, and, regrettably, traffic are set in motion to become reality in 2001. Here is a photo tour of where things stand in Peachtree City as we welcome the new year.

Public services will be significantly upgraded as a new police station on Ga. Highway 74 South makes room for many of the administrative offices currently housed in the amphitheater area to be moved closer to the rest of the city's administrative complex at city hall.

The Fire Department will be officially dedicating the new Leach Fire Station on Hwy. 74 at Paschall Road. The old Leach Fire Station will be torn down to make room for a city park. The new station recently was used for its first public event when a reception following the funeral of Peachtree City Fire chief Gerald Reed was hosted in the new station.

Shoppers will be delighted by the opening of many upscale stores and shops in the Avenues, a City Circle complex at the intersection of Ga. highways 74 and 54.

Other new businesses such as the new child care facility with its striking architecture opens next to Gold's Gym on Hwy. 74 North.

In addition, many new stores and businesses are springing up all around Peachtree City, including a number of new stores just west of Robinson Road. Of course, the Home Depot construction on Hwy. 54 West will add to the do-it-yourselfer's convenience.

As previously announced, Peachtree City will soon get its first airline as World Airways moves its headquarters to Peachtree City. The steel is up and the building will be overlooking our city's northern limits.

The federal government will be doing its part as a consolidation of the radar approach control facilities in Macon, Columbus and Atlanta results in the opening of the huge new FAA radar facility on Hwy. 74 South. In the same area, several new businesses have just opened or are completing major expansions.

Another major change may be coming in our flags as Peachtree City has launched an upgrade process in its official logo and flag. Possible changes to our state flag have also been promised by some legislators.

Of course, the weather has been extreme during this rollover to the new millennium. A look around City Hall's fountains will find few violators of the city's "no wading" signs! Forecasters are saying that our weather may be wetter and colder than we've seen in many years.

All this activity has its downside as the heavy traffic gets worse. As the planned improvements to both highways 54 and 74 occur, it will just add to gridlock until finished. Wynnmeade subdivision will be opening its new entrance onto Hwy. 54 West in the near future. A new connecting road just north of the Peachtree City airport into Coweta County should help relieve some of the Hwy. 54 West traffic load, but it may not be ready in the year 2001.

The best part of all this growth is the influx of new neighbors into our community in order to run these businesses and agencies. We have the opportunity to roll out the welcome mat and enjoy the relationships that make our community so special. Our churches, schools, public services, and businesses will have many to new folks to enjoy as we all watch these changes unfold in Peachtree City in the year 2001.

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