Our Gem: A great partnership, a shared vision

CDA 2030, a community-based nonprofit, is excited to announce the release of the newly updated Vision and Implementation Plan for the greater Coeur d’Alene community. Over the last 27 months, community input was gathered to update the vision for the future of the greater Coeur d’Alene area. The CDA 2030 Implementation Plan defines 134 actions (Seven focusing on the Coeur d’Alene Lake, five of those on its water quality health) that map out how we work to achieve the community’s shared vision.

Some successful actions from the previous plan included the launch of the Our Gem Symposium in 2014 fulfilling the action “implement a Lake Festival and education program to emphasize the importance of the Lake and river to the community and to educate the public about responsible stewardship.” Our support continues with outreach efforts such as assisting with the recent Our Gem survey to gauge the public understanding of Lake health.

In the updated plan, new actions that highlight the community’s support for Lake health include “continue to strengthen relationships and partnerships with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, other governments, and community partners, while recognizing the Tribe’s deep connection to Coeur d’Alene Lake and continued dedication to protecting this valuable natural and economic resource through the Our Gem Collaborative.”

CDA 2030 would like to thank our partners in the Our Gem Collaborative; University of Idaho — Coeur d’Alene Water Resource Center, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Kootenai County, and Kootenai Environmental Alliance for their contributions, including their creativity and dedication to the community visioning effort. Community members from all walks of life came together to provide their thoughts, ideas, and sentiments on what their vision of greater Coeur d’Alene should be for years to come.

JJ O’Dell, Executive Director of CDA 2030, shared, “In our outreach efforts with the community the lake was continually mentioned as the reason citizens call Coeur d’Alene home. Because the Lake is the focus of why so many people love to live, work, and play here CDA 2030 ensures actions, such as those focused on lake health, continue to move forward.”

CDA 2030’s mission seeks to guide the greater Coeur d’Alene community in realizing its vision for a bright future – together. As a nonprofit group, we help local businesses, government, and community organizations carry out the CDA 2030 Vision and Implementation Plan. For more information and the updated Implementation Plan, please visit: cda2030.org or on social media @cda2030.

The Our Gem Coeur d’Alene Lake Collaborative is a team of committed and passionate professionals working to preserve lake health and protect water quality by promoting community awareness of local water resources through education, outreach and stewardship. Our Gem includes local experts from the University of Idaho Community Water Resource Center, Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, Kootenai Environmental Alliance, Kootenai County, Coeur d’Alene Regional Chamber and CDA 2030.