I & M Canal National Heritage

CorridorManagement Plan -Committee Session

February 6, 2010

AgendaWelcome

Big day planned

Update Management Plan

Break out into your committees

Plan update5 Public sessions completed

Foundation Documents drafted

Web site now available!

Blog running for you to comment

Our 150 potential partners responding

NPS has been updated

Foundation DocumentsOur Draft Vision

Our Draft Mission

Our Draft Guiding Principles

The Corridor VisionThe Illinois & Michigan Canal connected the Mississippi waterway to the Great Lakes thereby opening the heartland of America and bringing people and commerce to Northeastern Illinois. The canal and the towns that grew up along it are culturally diverse yet share its history. Respecting, retelling and preserving that legacy for current and future generations offers visitors and residents an understanding of the canal’s importance and enjoyment of its benefits. Through interpretation, preservation and providing educational and recreational experiences, the Heritage Corridor builds linkages and economic opportunities for its communities and people.

The Corridor MissionThe mission of the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor is to protect, preserve, interpret, and develop the natural, historical and cultural resources of the Corridor, tell the story of the canal and how it changed the area, and stimulate increased economic opportunity in the Corridor for the benefit of present and future generations.

Guiding PrinciplesWe will respect the environment and will show appreciation for the area’s history both prior to and after the coming of the canalWe will respect history and culture through honest and authentic portrayals of places, people and events. We will educate residents and visitors about the story of the canal and the history of the Corridor.We will respect individual community needs and goals in a way that is consistent with our goal to create and maintain a regional Corridor brand recognition.We will strive to provide communications to our partners and the public in multiple ways to reach as many as possible.

Guiding Principles(cont’d)We will encourage and foster economic development opportunities in cooperation with Corridor assets.

We will strive for cooperation among all our partners in achieving our goals.

We will give weight to sustainability as a criteria in making plans, selecting projects and allocating resources.

We will respect property, public and private.

We will remember all groups, including future generations, in our plans, goals and actions.

Today’s SpecificsStarting Phase II of the Management Plan

Deadline is April 14

How we can accomplish this with great success

Four Phase Plan

Complete the Approval Process

Core CommitteesDevelop Goals and Project Descriptions

Research and Foundation Documents

Establish Priorities,Final Plan andImplementation Plan

Jan 2010 Sept 2010May 2010Dec 2008

Management Plan Roadmap

The Core CommitteesEducation/Interpretation

Conservation/Natural Resources

Heritage Development

Recreation

Tourism/Economic Development

Civic Engagement

Boundaries

Committee ChairsMichelle Micetich – Education/Interpretation

Oly Oldenburg – Conservation/Natural Resources

James Brown – Heritage Development

Jeanette Virgilio – Recreation

Reed Wilson – Tourism/Economic Development

Ana Koval – Civic Engagement

Andy Connor – Boundaries

Here’s your Assignment!

Discuss the Foundation documents

Review your resource materials

Work with your committee chair to generate a plan to meet your deadline

Produce Core Activity Goals, SMART Goals and Project Descriptions by April 14

SMART GoalsSpecific - answer the six "W" questions

Measurable - Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress

Attainable - Create goals that are reachable

Realistic - The goal must represent an objective toward which all involved are both willing and able to work

Timely - A goal should be grounded within a time frame

Project TemplateGoal Setting

Project Steps Who will we have as Known What is the How will we knowPartner(s)? Resources cost range estimate? we succeeded?

Core Activity:

Goal:

SMART Goal:

Project:

Project Description

State the project name

Provide an overall goalCreate a SMART goal

Project TemplateProject Details

Project Description - What will we do?  (a specific, measurable description) 

Project Steps - What major steps must be completed for the project to succeed?

Who will we do it with? (The partner(s))

What are the known resources available for the project?

What is the cost range estimate? (How much will it cost?)

How will we know we've succeeded? (Simple, reasonable measures) 

Project Template Example

Project Steps Who will we have as Known What is the How will we knowPartner(s)? Resources cost range estimate? we succeeded?

1. Establish teacher committee. 2. Review existing I&M curriculum. 3. Establish best opportunities for inclusion in public schools. 4. Review opportunities for field trips. 5. Review home-schooling opportunities. 6. Consider after-school opportunity

School districts in HC? In Illinois? History teachers in HC? Illinois foundations that support education. US Department of Education.

Commission Curriculum (1990s). Origins Park Curriculum. Portage Curriculum (check with Gary Mechanic). I&M Canal & Lincoln Activity book.

$15-40k depending on distribution.

Count the number of student experiences in the corridor the first year and also each year after and strive to have a 20% increase by the fifth year. Track teachers who use curriculum and ask them to report # of students taught.

Increase K-12 learning experiences in the corridor by 20% in the next 5 years

Project: Develop & distribute curriculum

Core Activity: Education

Goal: Increase K-12 learning experiences in the Corridor

Project Description

Develop curriculum at several different grade levels which can be used throughout Illinois by elementary and middle school teachers using the I&M Canal story to enrich the American history stories. Distribute the materials in ways which make it accessible

SMART Goal:

Resources for youProject Description template (paper and electronic)

Consider all the ideas from the 5 public sessions that might be a goal or project in your core activity (Check-off sheet )

The Management Plan web site will have all the documents for further reference

Ana, Charley and I will be moving between groups and are available through email

Schedule and MilestonesSteering Committee meetings

– February 6 - Noon - feedback– February 24 - V,M,GP final input– March 17 - Committee update call– April 14 - Final Goals/Projects review– May 5 - Finalize Priorities for all

Goals/Projects

All Participants Meeting (Phase II Milestone)– April 24 - Final comments on Goals/Project

priorities

Final NotesGenerate as many Goals and Projects as you feel appropriate, but remember:

– We will all prioritize them on April 24– We will always be dependent on partner

funding and federal appropriation levels– We will have a process to work together to

find funding for all the larger projects

Ana, Andy, Charley and I are available resources after today if you need us

Thank you!Take a break

Committees start at 10 am

The session will conclude at noon

Thank you all for your time and commitment.