The city of Longmont is moving closer to developing an early childhood hub to provide daycare services for residents as well as a training center for early childhood professionals.
City councilors last week approved an agreement with the Colorado State Department of Early Childhood to provide $498,705 to start developing the hub. At least 25% of the state total ($125,000) will be matched by the city.
The funds will be used for the architectural design of the facility and pre-construction preparation of the site, whether it will be a new building or a remodel of an existing structure, a city staff report the city council states.
The facility will provide childcare services for city employees and other families, but also act as a hub for training of early childhood care professionals, the report states. The hub will also offer resources to parents and other caregivers.
“This project will help close the gap in accessible and affordable childcare services, especially for at-risk families,” the staff report states.
Christina Pacheco, the city’s Children, Youth and Families manager, hopes the hub will be open by mid-2024 as the city works to collect other funding needed to complete its construction.
Several service providers will provide the early childhood training at the hub, Pacheco said. Those include TLC Learning Center, Wild Plum, Head Start, Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition and the Early Childhood Council of Boulder County.
Other providers will come on board as the project develops, she said.
