Public Life Study Volunteer, 8 80 TowerPOPS

We are guided by the simple but powerful idea that if everything we do in our cities is great for an 8 year old and an 80 year old, then it will be better for all people. We envision healthy, happy, and sustainable cities for people to grow up and grow old in; where all people have the right to safe and active mobility, welcoming and accessible public spaces, and inclusive city-building processes.

A Public Life Study (PLS) is a form of real-time data collection which includes simple counting, mapping, and surveying tools that help to measure how people use, pass through, and engage with public spaces.

This data helps city builders assess how a space measures up before a public space transformation begins!

Last spring and fall, we conducted the first two rounds of Public Life Studies at each 8 80 TowerPOPS site before and during implementation. Informed by this data and community feedback, we’ve reactivated these spaces with design improvements over the summer.

Now, we’re looking to measure how these programming and space improvements will impact community use and wellbeing. As a volunteer, you can expect a short 3-4 hour shift where you will map movement and activity across each site using templated data collection tools, as well as survey community members about their experiences with 8 80 TowerPOPS.

This study is being completed in partnership with the University of Guelph.

Responsibilities Include:

• There will be a mandatory virtual PLS Training for Rockcliffe-Smythe on Monday, July 13, 2026, from 4:00 pm – 5:30 PM and for Cooksville on Monday, July 20, 2026,  from 4:00 – 5:30 PM.
• Public Life Studies will take place at TowerPOPS Rockcliffe-Smythe, Toronto, on Wednesday, July 15 and Saturday, July 18, 2026.
• Public Life Studies will take place at TowerPOPS Cooksville, Mississauga, on Wednesday, July 22 and Saturday, July 25, 2026
• There are 4 time slot options for each day:
  • 7:00 am – 11:00 am
  • 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
  • 3:00 pam – 6:00 pm
  • 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Volunteers should be familiar with or interested in developing skills in placemaking, urban planning, spatial design, data analysis, and community engagement. Individuals from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community are encouraged to apply.

On a rolling basis from June 2025.

Interested volunteers should complete the following Google Form to indicate their availability.

If you require more information, send us an email at volunteer@880cities.org with the subject line “Public Life Study, 8 80 TowerPOPS”

If selected, we’ll share a link to the training and provide additional details.