A Dual Language Partnership for Active Living
March 10, 2025
Carlton County Public Health & Human Services, in partnership with the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, including the Fond du Lac Planning Division and Fond du Lac Human Services, received a Safe Routes to School Boost Grant to improve walk- and bike-ability in the City of Cloquet and on the Fond du Lac Reservation.
The project focuses on increasing awareness of active transportation through dual-language signage, installing bicycle fix-it stations, and creating a community mural that reflects Indigenous arts and culture.
As part of this effort, the team collaborated with the Fond du Lac Language & Culture Program to develop Ojibwe-English signage throughout the community.
So far, eight bicycle fix-it stations and corresponding signs have been installed at key locations, including the Sawyer, Brookston, and Cloquet Tribal Community Centers, Fond du Lac Ojibwe School, Big Lake Road Trail, Pinehurst Park, Washington Elementary, and the Cloquet Public Library.
These installations aim to support safer and more accessible walking and biking routes for residents- and there has already been great feedback, as reported from the City of Cloquet!
In addition to the infrastructure improvements, the project has placed a strong emphasis on celebrating Indigenous culture through public art.
The Safe Routes to School Boost Planning Team, made up of members from Fond du Lac and Carlton County, is excited to partner with Heart Berry, a Fond du Lac-based Indigenous artist collective led by Giizh.
In a recent meeting with the SHIP Coordinator, Giizh shared insights on the mural’s design, which will incorporate elements of community identity and Indigenous storytelling. The team is also working on designing maps and additional signage that align with the project’s goals.
Looking ahead, Carlton County will continue working closely with the City of Cloquet and the Safe Routes to School Boost Grant Team to finalize the placement of the community mural at Pinehurst Park. The mural is expected to be installed at the Pinehurst Band Shell in the spring, adding a vibrant and meaningful artistic element to the park while reinforcing the community’s commitment to active transportation and cultural visibility.