Ah, “the vision thing,” as George H.W. Bush once termed it, in relation to his inspiration deficit. Lebanon is doing better than the former president with its goals for the future of its downtown — as vision goes, it seems pretty well focused. A new vision statement, outlined at a recent public meeting, could help keep the downtown vital, years after it lost to sprawl its prominence as a retail hub.

The plan, developed by a Massachusetts-based consulting firm, has a possible 20-year time-frame and calls for substantial city investment, about $6.8 million in total. “The city has to be an active player in making this work,’’ said Geoffrey Morrison-Logan, a principal at the consulting firm. Indeed, city leaders will have to hold the goals high to protect them against the naysaying and nitpicking that inevitably greets such documents.

The planners appear to have several elements right. We applaud the emphasis on creating a more pedestrian- and bike-friendly downtown, and restoration of an old rail tunnel to connect the new Mascoma River Greenway to the existing 58-mile Northern Rail Trail, providing a path for exercise and enjoyment from West Lebanon to Lebanon and beyond. Recreational opportunities such as this do much to make modern cities desirable places to live.

Encouraging development along the Mascoma River is a laudable goal, although not easily done, since past development turned its back on the river before its waters were cleaned up. A parking garage behind City Hall is an ambitious idea, but could become necessary with parking already in demand.

We’ll need to be sold on roundabouts, which have become the darlings of planners even as many drivers remain skeptical. But if planners can untangle the challenging traffic pattern around the green, they will deserve a major prize.

The consultants are calling for mixed-use development in the downtown core. Retail, offices, shops, restaurants, condos and apartments are a desirable mix in urban areas; encouraging more housing downtown would be a win-win for the city and future residents, who could walk to amenities — and stroll to City Hall to pay their taxes. In recent years, restaurants have brought a liveliness to downtown; arts and recreation have also contributed, with growing interest in the Opera House, AVA Gallery and farmers markets on the green. All these are pluses going forward. The city caught a break when River Valley Community College stepped in to fill space left vacant when Lebanon College shut down.

Creating a vision is a useful exercise for governments at all levels — as long as they are in it for the long haul. A downtown makeover would require leaps of faith, and investment, at several junctures, such as construction of the parking garage. Business interests will have to be on board to make it work.

Twenty years is a long perspective, but it’s a good thing to start with a clear vision, knowing that it will require checkups along the way.