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Roe Proposal Page 1 1 Interpretive Concept Planning for Big Island Park City of Orono, Minnesota Proposal for planning consultation submitted by: Jim Roe Museum Planning 651-249-6126 jroe@umn.edu January 7, 2021 PROJECT UNDERSTANDING The City of Orono, in collaboration with Big Island Legacy, an independent non-profit organization, and Minnehaha Creek Watershed District, is developing a public park on the east end of Big Island on Lake Minnetonka. Working from archaeological surveys and a park master plan, the City is interested in augmenting on-site amenities with interpretive elements that engage visitors in stories of the island, primarily focused on Big Island Amusement Park and Big Island Veterans Camp. Additional areas of focus will include the natural history of the island and the relationship between this island and the Dakota people—today and through time. This proposal describes a process for developing an interpretive concept plan for Big Island Park along with a set of deliverables for review and input from project participants. The final plan will be written and designed to provide a compelling vision for the park experience—a useful presentation document for communicating with partner agencies, interested members of the community, and potential funders. EXPERIENCE Jim Roe Museum Planning was founded in 2002 to help organizations develop places and venues where people enjoy a kind of learning guided by their own interests, backgrounds, and motivations. I consult for a range of organizations—from historic sites and museums to parks, nature centers, and other environmental education facilities, science centers, and children’s museums. Over the past 10 years, I have contributed to more than 50 major projects, providing me with a deep understanding of what attracts and engages audiences in exhibits, learning environments, and programs. I am a proven collaborator, working extensively with architects, landscape architects, exhibit designers, and film and media producers. As an exhibits specialist, I have been working at the forefront of the field for more than 25 years. I completed my MA in American Studies at the University of Minnesota, with a focus on urban and architectural history. Pursuing a long-standing interest in public history, I joined the staff of the Minnesota Historical Society, where my work included researching, writing, and exhibit development. I later worked as an exhibit developer at the Science Museum of