It’s not unusual for parents to deny children a new toy or article of clothing because they didn’t take good enough care of the ones they already had.

Lawrence shouldn’t try to deny the growth that is inevitable in our community, but, at the same time, we need to be careful to take care of what we already have.

Too often, it seems that the city is barely staying ahead – or even falling behind – with its maintenance and planning duties. Streets are patched and repatched, curbs are crumbled. Obliterated lane markings and crosswalks are slow to be repainted, if they ever are. City policies seem inadequate to properly maintain sidewalks, many of which are uneven and unsightly.

On a bigger scale, the city recently received a report that indicates $41 million of work is needed to solve flooding problems in North Lawrence. A $3.7 million project is on the boards to rebuild one of the most-patched streets in Lawrence: Kasold Avenue from Bob Billings Parkway to Clinton Parkway.

Within the past few months, much attention was focused on a sewer situation that prompted a moratorium on building permits in northwest Lawrence. As one step to deal with the problem, officials moved up a project to enlarge a pump station near Sixth and Kentucky streets. That’s the right move, but why do we so often find ourselves facing a potential crisis before we act?

When city and Lawrence Chamber of Commerce officials discuss the possibility of a community visioning process for Lawrence, they usually focus on how the city wants to grow. However, a comprehensive vision of Lawrence wouldn’t involve only new additions to the city. It also would encompass our vision of what we want for all areas of the city and the people who live there.

It would include what neighborhoods and commercial areas should look like and how we can stay ahead of the needs for rebuilding streets, repainting crosswalks, replacing sidewalks and completing other, larger public works projects. Sure, it’s a matter of money, but it’s also a matter of planning. When something new is built, there should immediately be a maintenance plan in place to keep that street, building, sidewalk or gutter in good condition. When a major project like a sewer or water treatment plant is completed, we need to look ahead and be prepared not only for maintenance but also for timely expansions.

Our vision of Lawrence as an attractive and livable city is nothing new, but it seems we often are falling short of that. The effort should be a public-private partnership that involves private development as well as public works projects. A growing city needs not only to plan for new development but also make sure it’s prepared to properly maintain what it already has.