Students help envision a walkable future for Auburn

When it comes to planning the future of Auburn, the Imagine Auburn team is seeking a number of opinions, including from students. The Imagine Auburn team held a student workshop at Placer High School on March 30 in the school's newly built Career Center in the Library Commons. The students helped beta test the board game created for Imagine Auburn's workshop series. Members of Placer High School's Key Club and Environmental Club brought their perspective in visioning the future of Auburn. Imagine Auburn Project Lead Genevieve Marsh said the students were excited to learn their opinion mattered and used urban planning methods to think through how to create a walkable Auburn. "The youth perspective is important to include in vision building because teenagers utilize the town differently than adults," Marsh said. "They often walk and we've heard from the community at large that a top priority should be to increase the Commercial Core's walk-ability." Marsh said the students, who attend Placer High's open campus, were familiar with the project's area. "Placer High School has an open campus, which encourages students to learn about civic life," she said. "They brought those life lessons and experiences to our workshop." Their commentary is being put to work this week, as the general public will play the same board game the students tested at Imagine Auburn's second workshop. "When we include students in city planning, we have a better chance of making a youth-friendly environment," Marsh said. "In turn, it strengthens civic society as they grow up and establish their lives here. Our participatory city planning processes opens student's eyes to a field of urban planning and design and develops their skills as community builders and democratic citizens." Imagine Auburn's second workshop was filled for Tuesday (past press deadline), but those interested in taking part in the exercises are encouraged to sign up on the waitlist, as Imagine Auburn may hold a second session of the board game exercise. To RSVP for the waitlist or for the third Imagine Auburn workshop (scheduled April 25), visit auburnfbc.com.