Gretna is always growing. That’s a simple statement that can be seen from corner to corner of the city. Whether it’s even the idea that there will be a third high school one day, and that the land is already secured for it, or it’s the 20 different neighborhoods that are currently being built, there’s no denying that Gretna isn’t staying small.

“It’s exciting,” Giles Greek Middle School principal Ron Gross said. “The community has grown accustomed to change, and new schools mean more opportunities for kids.”

In 2023, Gretna opened its second high school, Gretna East. Everything was split. Friends, teachers, resources, everything. No big deal, right? Not quite. The second high school rocked many people’s worlds right to the core, whether it was friendships that had been split apart or teachers moving from a room they’d had for years. The world doesn’t stop spinning, though, when a new high school is added to a district that’s never felt that. Those in leadership in Gretna continue to look forward to what’s to come in the future.

“We have land right now for high school three, middle school four, elementary nine, and elementary ten, so the board has always been looking to the future,” said Superintendent Travis Lightle.

In the next decade, Gretna is planning a shift. A new city center and the heart of the town. Historic buildings like both libraries and the city hall will be moved to this new area, right next to the Gretna Crossing YMCA. This new area has been much talked about, and the words said are slowly being carried out into actions. The Y, the waterpark, the lake, all part of this new place. So what’s going to happen to downtown Gretna, which is so often forgotten already?

“Downtown will always be the soul of Gretna, but this new area will be the heart. Think of how much the Y has brought to our community. We would never have that if we were a small town,” Mayor Mike Evans said.

Evans said that all historic buildings that are being vacated will go to people who truly respect what was in those buildings and have plans to honor the history. Even with that being said, some people will still be against the idea of change. Evans challenges their point of view.

“Some people say, ‘you’re not a small town anymore’. Well, sometimes you go to a small town, and they’re not that great of a place to live. Just because they’re small doesn’t mean they’re better. It’s the people in your community that make it better,” Evans said. “Frankly, we’re next to a million people in the metropolitan Omaha area, and there’s an interstate next to us. The growth is not a matter of ‘Do we want to grow or not’, it’s ‘what can we do to make our community the best it can be and be a great place to live?’”

People come to Gretna for a certain reason. It’s all about the feeling of this place we call home. Gretna doesn’t just feel like a bedroom community for Omaha. It doesn’t just have houses, and that’s it. Gretna still feels like a small town even though we’ve proven it’s not.

“That’s what I hear from candidates that we interview, ‘“Why are you interviewing in Gretna?’” and they say the small town feel,” Lightle said.

“Any time something happens, that’s where you see the whole community come together. And that’s when you know you’re a community, and not just a town that you live in. People come together when they’re needed. Sometimes it’s a real time of need and tragedy, sometimes it’s a need and the community always comes through,” Lightle said.

That sense of community doesn’t just bring people together, though. That feeling is something that fuels growth, as people want to join in this “family” of sorts.

“The future’s bright. People wouldn’t keep moving here if great things weren’t happening. As long as we stay true to what’s made Gretna great—our people, relationships, and putting kids first—we’ll continue to thrive,” Gross said.

Now that we’ve examined both standpoints, from a small town perspective and a city perspective, it’s time to decide what Gretna is.

So what are we?