About Connect Kootenai

Our community envisions a future that preserves our region’s natural beauty and provides for the health, safety, and prosperity of our citizens for generations to come. Connect Kootenai helped facilitate the creation of this shared vision, and now we are working with partners all across the Kootenai County area to make it a reality.

Thousands of voices. Hundreds of community partners.
Six key themes, all contributing to ONE VISION.

Our role in the community

Connect Kootenai is a nonprofit, community-based organization formed in 2014 to guide the creation of a shared vision for the future of Kootenai County. The Vision and Implementation Plan have brought the community’s shared vision to life through strategic actions fulfilled with and by community partners who are committed to Kootenai County’s bright future. The Implementation Plan is a living document that will continually evolve with the ever-changing resources, opportunities, priorities, and needs of our community.

More About the Plan Update...

Mission:

Connect Kootenai exists to create a better tomorrow.

VISION:

We envision a community where… Everyone has the opportunity to belong, thrive, and make a positive impact.

We engage, educate, and inspire our community to achieve collective and individual goals by focusing on six key areas that are essential pillars for a healthy and prosperous community.

Connect Kootenai…

Strengthens relationships
Connect Kootenai strengthens and connects all community organizations, government, and citizens together.

Improves communication
Improving communication avenues with community members and providing a forum to give everyone a voice.

Maintains a monitored, living document
Our Implementation Plan actions are appropriately adjusted as the community grows and trends change.

Facilitates collaboration
Facilitating partnerships with other agencies and organizations, leading to positive results and avoiding duplications.

Remains unbiased
Acting as a neutral convener for the community.

Fosters community involvement
We provide a venue for engaging broad community involvement.

Sparks action
Our presence and encouragement support the community by achieving its broad goals.

Monitors and tracks metrics
Guaranteeing ongoing dedication and attention to implementation.

Six focus areas of the
Implementation Plan:

Community & Identity

Education & Learning

Environment & Recreation

Housing & Growth

Health & Safety

Jobs & Economy

Download the Plan

Achieving the vision through action

The Implementation Plan in action is evident throughout our community, represented in dozens of strategies that have been realized because of Connect Kootenai. The collaboration between Connect Kootenai and our dedicated community partners has resulted in real, physical action within our community to move us toward the bright future we envision. Our involvement with all of our cities will continue to drive Kootenai County toward a prosperous, healthy, safe, and flourishing community for generations to come.

From idea to realization…

In 2013, we participated in the visioning process for Coeur d’Alene and shared our idea of creating a makerspace for CDA. This idea became part of the CDA 2030 – now the Connect Kootenai Implementation Plan: to create a makerspace in Coeur d’Alene as a physical community gathering place that encourages and supports design, active tool use, mentoring, and innovation. This dream became a reality when in 2014 Gizmo-CDA opened in MidTown on 4th Street in a 2800 sq ft store front with the support of University of Idaho. In 2018 Gizmo having out grown its space was invited to moved into the Hedland Building on the campus of North Idaho College.

So often when people are just coming into Gizmo-CDA for the first time you can see them looking around and slowly a smile develops on their face and their response is always ‘I’ve been looking for a place just like this.

Barbara Pleason Mueller

Co-Founder, Gizmo-CDA

Other completed Implementation Plan Actions:

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UPDATE: It's even more shoreline than we originally mentioned!

Have you checked out the newly open Atlas Waterfront park? It's located on 3,780 linear feet of beautiful public shoreline. CDA 2030 helped with initial public input during planning. It works towards 5 community goals from our Implementation Plan; preserving public waterfront access, ADA waterfront accessibility to public beaches, off-leash water access for dogs, expansion of park land, and major trail expansion.
Congrats to the City of Coeur d'Alene and ignite cda on its completion.
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#atlaswaterfrontpark #atlaswaterfront #cda2030 #spokaneriver #cdagov #cda #coeurdalene #postfalls #hayden #rathdrum #daltongardens #coeurdaleneidaho #northidaho #idahome #cdaidaho #cdaID #kootenaicounty #inlandnorthwest #upperleftliving #northidaholife #northidaholiving #coeurdaleneliving #cdaliving #cdalife #cityofcoeurdalene

City of Coeur d'Alene, Government Ignite cda

Have you been monitoring the progress for the "new" Museum of North Idaho building? They're hoping to open in Spring of 2023. Watching the restoration of the J.C. White House is quite exciting. Community donations to the building fund will help move the project along: https://museumni.org/building-fund-donation/

We're quite excited that it will complete yet another community goal in our Implementation Plan: "Design and develop a new, expanded, state-of-the-art Museum of North Idaho."

You can learn the full details of the project at: https://museumni.org/moving-history-forward-to-our-new-home/

Did you know that our beloved Tubbs Hill has it's own non-profit? The Tubbs Hill Foundation (Friends of Tubbs Hill), in conjunction with the City, has planted approximately 200 native ponderosa pine trees in past years.

They work towards action E&R 6.3 of our Implementation Plan; promote preservation of Tubbs Hill and include current forestry and fuel management practices for the assured long-term public use and access to the hill. Promote trail maintenance and enhancements for a safer walking environment.

In 2020, numerous board members and other Friends of Tubbs Hill members participated in 26 trail day activities with a documented 422 hours of volunteer time.

To learn how you can support this non-profit visit: https://www.tubbshill.org/

Did you know that our local makerspace, Gizmo-CDA, has roots in CDA 2030?

As one of the founders, Barb Mueller, put it:
“In 2013, we participated in the visioning process for Coeur d’Alene and shared our idea of creating a makerspace for CDA. This idea became part of the CDA 2030 Implementation Plan: to create a makerspace in Coeur d’Alene as a physical community gathering place that encourages and supports design, active tool use, mentoring, and innovation. This dream became a reality when in 2014 GIZMO-CDA opened in MidTown on 4th Street in a 2800 sq ft store front with the support of University of Idaho. In 2018 Gizmo having out grown its space was invited to moved into the Hedland Building on the campus of North Idaho College.

With intent to blur the lines between art and technology, mentor and student, ingenuity and analysis, Gizmo-CDA, Coeur d’ Alene’s non-profit makerspace works to create a public place where art, design, technology and tools are connected to life long learning and innovation. The makerspace, serves K thru Gray, with equipment, classes, membership, community events and our Innovative Educator program serving all Educators both formal, Informal and preservice.

So often when people are just coming into GIZMO-CDA for the first time you can see them looking around and slowly a smile develops on their face and their response is always ‘I’ve been looking for a place just like this.’”

Barb is now in the process of retiring. You can see their Executive Director job posting here:
https://www.gizmo-cda.org/executive-director-description.html

They are also putting on a fun new event, Upscale Garage Sale, on July 31. It sounds like an opportunity to check out their great space if you haven't already.

Collaboration is the key

Our community partners are the most crucial piece of the puzzle. Collaborative partnerships between Connect Kootenai and the agencies, businesses, and people of our community are the mechanism for transforming a dream into a reality. Connect Kootenai helps establish the plan for moving a goal from inception to results, but our community partners—our citizens—make it happen.