The Chesapeake Community Center has lived up to its name for many years and the upcoming assessment should only help that role continue.

The former school in Chesapeake that now serves as a community hub offering a variety of recreational activities and a facility for the public to use has truly been embraced by the citizens.

Much of the funding for recent repairs and renovation projects has come from community fundraisers that have been driven by volunteers.

This upcoming assessment, done in partnership with the Ironton-Lawrence County Community Action Organization, will essentially focus on a complete analysis of the shape of the building and help determine a plan for future renovation projects.

Overall, this should be a positive step because it could pave the way for future grant funding and ensure that every project makes sense.

How to best use old buildings — and specifically former school buildings — has been a question that has plagued Lawrence County for many years. The Chesapeake center has been one of the best examples of how an old structure like this can be re-purposed to remain a viable contributor to a community.

Hopefully it will serve as a good blueprint for others so that we can allow our past to work in conjunction with our future.