Lake of the Woods Development Commission – Tunnel Island Common Ground Board Development & Governance Project

The Tunnel Island Common Ground is enabling the 5 Tunnel Island project partners: Grand Council Treaty #3, Wauzhushk Onigum, Obashkaandagaang, Ochiichagwe’babigo’ining, and the City of Kenora to work with facilitator Jeremiah Windigo to create a strong governance structure and strategic plan to oversee the development at Tunnel Island.

Through this project, the facilitator was involved with board planning and development to assist the Rat Portage Common Ground Conservation Organization in the preliminary stages of professional board development. Through a series of partner meetings, the facilitator worked with the partners to develop a board, adopt a by-law #1, frame a communications plan, a comprehensive plan, and other formal board documents as well as prepare the board for the next phase of the project which was to complete a Strategic Plan. These documents created a foundation for the board to reference in the land management of Tunnel Island. At the end of the process the facilitator prepared a final report on the board progress that was delivered to the partners in the spring of 2015.

The Tunnel Island Common Ground Project was the crucial next step to formalize the relationship of the RPCGCO partners by active formation of a professional board with clear roles in governance to guide them. The process was intended to enhance the land management and governance of RPCGCO’s lands that have a long history within the Kenora area.

The project was supported by a $25,000 Community Development Fund grant from the Ontario Ministry of Culture, as well as the $10,000 CGRF grant, and monies and in-kind support from Grand Council Treaty #3 and the City of Kenora.  The project started in the spring of 2014 and concluded in March 2015, with this briefing note delivered to the project partners: Tunnel Island Common Ground Governance Project Update