Partners revitalize a northern tribal community
In the 1950s, the streets of Lac du Flambeau were crowded with visitors who had come to learn about the culture of the Ojibwe people and to enjoy the lakes and forests of Vilas County in northern Wisconsin.
Lac du Flambeau UW-Extension Community Resource Development Educator Brian Gauthier consults with Lac du Flambeau Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Stephanie Tralango on tactics to build tourism in the community. Photo by GREG JOHNSON
Lac du Flambeau had a vital downtown in the 1950s and '60s, but it deteriorated as the storeowners' children moved away or gave up the businesses. The Ojibwe, of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, are working with UW-Extension to revitalize the town's center, which has found new life with the success of the Lake of the Torches Casino and Hotel. Major improvements over the past five years include road projects and new sidewalks.
Jobs and restoration
Brian Gauthier, community resource development educator for Lac du Flambeau Tribal UW-Extension, says the economy has received substantial revenue from the tribally owned casino, which opened in 1989 at the center of the Ojibwe reservation.
"The casino provides many jobs for tribal and non-tribal community members," Gauthier says. "Right now, we want to focus on restoring the downtown area by improving aesthetics, adding infrastructure such as water pipes and communication lines, and building a retail incubator or strip mall."
Partners in community development
Gauthier is working with the tribe's Planning and Development office and Northwoods NiiJii Enterprise Community Inc. to capitalize on the tourism industry and provide a strategic plan for community development. The partners are helping to build a strong economy on the reservation to take advantage of growing interest in the casino and the area's year-round recreation.
A nonprofit organization working to combat poverty through social and economic development, NiiJii provides project support in funding, training and grant writing, and leverages seed funding, giving three Wisconsin tribes access to millions of federal dollars for community development.
"Working with the Ojibwe tribe is about building relationships and empowering people," explains Patricia Stanton, NiiJii executive director.
Emerson Coy, director of the Lac du Flambeau Planning and Development office, adds, "This partnership is successful because of the time spent listening and creating trust in one another, recognizing the commitment we have in common, and bringing our different goals into harmony." — Amber Rose Fonzen with Jo Futrell
Return on Investment
- Through 70 ongoing projects, the partners have assisted 217 businesses and helped create and/or retain hundreds of jobs since 2001.
- Every $1 the partners invest in a project results in a return to the community of $72 in grants.
For more information: Brian Gauthier; brian.gauthier@ces.uwex.edu; (715) 588-4251