The City of Fort Wayne is looking for 60 volunteers to pay attention.
Those volunteers must be over 18, and have four hours to donate to the city for a study on how people use downtown public spaces.
The Public Space/Public Life Survey will take a look at what people do in such spaces as the Courthouse Green, Freimann Square and other areas. During their four-hour shift, volunteers will make note of whether people are walking or biking, socializing, or utilizing the public space in other ways. The volunteers will not approach or talk with anyone, but just observe what happens around them in the spaces.
Observations collected will be sent to Gehl, an expert on creating vibrant and sustainable spaces. Gehl will then recommend ways to make the spaces work better for the people who use them.
Funding for this project comes from the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne and the Knight Foundation. The City of Fort Wayne is also providing additional funding and support.
To volunteer, go to fwcommunitydevelopment.org and click on “volunteer.”