Anyone who has a passing knowledge of downtown Newnan knows it is a virtual showplace. The Georgia Planning Association (GPA) knows it, too. GPA has recognized downtown Newnan as the recipient of the 2009 “Great Places in Georgia” award.

Newnan Public Information Officer Gina Snider said communities throughout Georgia were recently recognized at the GPA awards ceremony. Newnan’s downtown was selected as the inaugural recipient of this year’s award.

Snider said the 2009 GPA Chapter Awards were given to plans and projects that showed innovation, transferability, quality, effectiveness of implementation, public participation, technology, equity and sustainability. 

In addition to the basic planning awards, a new category was created this year to recognize “great places” in Georgia. The award was established to showcase communities that emphasize a live, work and play environment, safety, conservation, accessibility, and community involvement, Snider said.  

GPA citied several factors that contributed to downtown Newnan being selected as a “Great Place in Georgia”. Those factors included downtown being defined by its history and strong sense of place and engaged community; the antebellum architecture that remains intact in the downtown area; the wide variety of mixed uses in downtown including retail, restaurants, offices, industrial and public uses; the commitment of the city and county governments to keeping their administrative offices downtown; and Newnan’s selection as Georgia’s representative for This Old House’s Best Old House Neighborhoods for 2009.

“This is a great honor for our City,” said Planning Director Tracy Dunnavant. “It shows that Newnan has managed to preserve its past while continuing to meet the needs of the future. It’s an award that could only be achieved through the efforts of the community as a whole.”

login to post comments