The Park District project could completely transform a large portion of the city — whether that’s for better or worse is in part up to the residents (student residents included) that have the opportunity to voice their opinions on what they want the dilapidated building of the former failed City Center II site on Abbot Road to look like.

East Lansing is not just our temporary home. As students, we spend a majority of our school year here, and whether we like it or not, city decisions greatly affect us.

It’s not that hard to hop on a bike or a bus and go to the Marriott at University Place, where the meeting for the Park District Project took place, or to the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, where the next meeting is scheduled to be held Oct. 16.

In an attempt to attract younger and more diverse opinions less apt to go to boring meetings, city officials have even catered events to interest and accommodate young folks. On Oct. 17, the city plans to hold Brew & Do, a feedback session at Dublin Square Irish Pub, 327 Abbot Road, that gives residents the chance to discuss what they think would be the best long-term solutions for the future of East Lansing in a more casual setting.

The city is doing what it can, but city officials are not mindreaders.

Complaining to a roommate about a lack of bike lanes won’t get more installed. Whining in class about a lack of upscale dining won’t inspire the city to encourage that type of business. East Lansing wants and needs student involvement. East Lansing needs action — student action.

How can officials ever make East Lansing more attractive for students to work and live here when young people don’t even bother to come to public participation meetings, fill out a general feedback form or respond to a post on Twitter?

Don’t like that big ugly building across from Rick’s American Cafe? Now is the time to speak up.

Don’t think city officials are paying attention to student interests? Well, it’s students’ responsibility to get down to the meetings and stand up for policies that would help us most. If we don’t, who will?

During a Tuesday meeting with The State News Editorial Board, Lahanas and other city officials spoke about how they would appreciate more student involvement in city decision-making and meetings.

But many of their ideas for improving quality of life in the city are centered around drawing older residents and recent college graduates downtown, and as they plan ways to attract a broader diversity of residents, they might end up neglecting the more than 48,000 students that have helped make East Lansing the city it is today.

How could we blame them?

The city has dealt with mostly apathetic students for so long that there’s only so much they can do.
This is not just their city — it’s ours, too. And we have to make sure we are a part of the discussion to make our community better, even if that means lumbering off the cozy couch and spending a Tuesday at a public forum at City Hall.

So get up, get out and make your voice heard. East Lansing needs it, and fellow students need it, too.