On a radiant Thursday morning, August 14, the Colorado Springs community gathered to celebrate a transformative moment with the groundbreaking ceremony for a pioneering early education facility at 415 Sahwatch St. in downtown Colorado Springs, near Weidner Field soccer stadium. This ambitious $8 million renovation project is breathing new life into a 1984 office building, turning it into a cutting-edge child care and learning hub. Led by Early Connections Learning Centers, this initiative stands as a beacon of hope in tackling the severe shortage of child care options in El Paso County, where the demand for accessible, quality care far outstrips supply. The event, attended by approximately 100 people including local leaders and families, radiated optimism as speakers and attendees alike celebrated the promise of a brighter future for the region’s youngest residents, setting the stage for meaningful change in the community.
The ceremony was enriched by powerful speeches from seven key figures, including Liz Denson, President and CEO of Early Connections, Mayor Yemi Mobolade, and R. Thayer Tutt Jr. of El Pomar Foundation, all of whom underscored the profound impact this project will have on local families. A particularly heartwarming moment came when preschoolers from existing Early Connections programs, dressed in yellow hard hats and construction vests, took part by digging into a pile of dirt with plastic shovels. Their laughter and enthusiasm captivated the crowd, serving as a vivid reminder of the project’s core purpose. As Liz Denson poignantly stated, their presence was a touching symbol of why this center is being built—to provide a nurturing foundation for the youngest generation. With a capacity to serve 140 children from 6 weeks to 5 years old, this facility will create 70 new child care slots, 30 of which are dedicated to infants and toddlers, directly addressing the most pressing needs in the area.
Community Need and Impact
Addressing a Critical Shortage
The child care crisis in El Paso County has reached alarming levels, with a reported deficit of around 17,000 slots for the 47,000 children under the age of 5 residing in the area, making it one of the most affected regions in Colorado. Mayor Mobolade emphasized this staggering gap during the groundbreaking event, pointing out how it disproportionately impacts families who struggle to balance work and parenting responsibilities. The Alice Bemis Taylor Center for Early Education aims to alleviate this burden by prioritizing spots for infants and toddlers, age groups with the highest demand for care. By offering 30 of its 70 new slots to these young children, the center targets a critical segment of the population often left without options, providing a lifeline to parents in desperate need of reliable, safe environments for their little ones while they pursue careers or education.
Beyond simply increasing capacity, the center is designed with affordability and accessibility at its core, ensuring that a diverse range of families can benefit from its services. Operating on a sliding-fee scale for tuition and accepting both federal and state subsidies, the facility removes financial barriers for low-income households, making quality early education attainable for those who might otherwise be excluded. The city of Colorado Springs has played a pivotal role in supporting this vision, contributing $750,000 through a Community Development Block Grant, a commitment that was met with enthusiastic applause at the ceremony. This funding not only underscores the municipality’s dedication to addressing the child care shortage but also highlights a collaborative approach to building a stronger, more inclusive community where every child has the chance to thrive from the earliest stages of life.
Bridging Gaps for Families
The impact of insufficient child care options often forces parents, particularly mothers, to make difficult choices between professional aspirations and family obligations, limiting economic opportunities and personal growth. In El Paso County, this issue is compounded by the sheer number of young children needing care, creating a bottleneck that affects entire households. The new center steps in as a vital resource, offering a solution that not only increases available slots but also prioritizes the developmental needs of children during their most formative years. By focusing on creating a nurturing, educational environment, the facility aims to lay a strong foundation for lifelong learning, helping to break cycles of disadvantage that can start early in life due to lack of access to quality care.
Moreover, the strategic location of the center in downtown Colorado Springs enhances its reach, making it accessible to families across various neighborhoods and socioeconomic backgrounds. The renovated 11,337-square-foot building will feature modern classrooms tailored for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years, alongside outdoor spaces for play and exploration, ensuring a holistic approach to early education. As an added benefit, children currently enrolled at a nearby Early Connections site west of The Antlers hotel will transition to this new space upon its opening in March of the following year. This relocation will streamline operations for the organization while maximizing the impact of its expanded facilities, ultimately serving as a model for how targeted infrastructure projects can address systemic community challenges with precision and care.
Economic and Social Benefits
Supporting Workforce Participation
Child care is far more than a family concern; it serves as a cornerstone of economic stability by enabling parents to participate fully in the workforce without the constant worry of unreliable care options. Liz Denson, during her address at the groundbreaking, described access to quality child care as an “economic imperative” that directly influences the vitality of the local and regional economy. When parents are unable to secure dependable services for their children, they often face barriers to employment, which can lead to reduced household income and broader economic stagnation. The addition of 70 new child care slots through this project directly tackles this issue, offering a practical solution that empowers families to pursue professional opportunities while ensuring their children are in safe, enriching environments.
The ripple effects of such support extend beyond individual households to benefit the entire community, as a stronger workforce contributes to business growth and economic resilience in Colorado Springs. This new facility will allow more parents to remain active in their careers, thereby sustaining local industries and fostering financial stability across the region. The emphasis on affordability, with sliding-fee scales and subsidy acceptance, ensures that even families with limited means can access these benefits, promoting equity in economic participation. By alleviating one of the most significant stressors for working parents, the center not only boosts productivity but also enhances quality of life, creating a positive feedback loop where community prosperity and family well-being reinforce each other in meaningful ways.
Building Foundations for Success
From a social perspective, early education is widely recognized as a critical factor in shaping a child’s future, instilling character, confidence, and essential skills that carry into adulthood. Mayor Mobolade passionately conveyed this sentiment at the event, framing the project as an “investment in our children and the future” that transcends mere infrastructure development. Drawing from personal experience, the mayor highlighted how programs like those offered by Early Connections have a lasting impact, equipping young learners with the tools they need to succeed academically and socially. This focus on holistic development positions the center as a catalyst for long-term community advancement, ensuring that children start life with a solid grounding in a supportive setting.
Additionally, the broader societal value of this initiative aligns with ambitious state and local goals to make Colorado a leading place for families to thrive. Lisa Roy, from the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, noted during the ceremony that El Paso County serves as a microcosm of statewide challenges, suggesting that solutions implemented here could inspire similar efforts across Colorado. By integrating professional development spaces for training early childhood educators within the center’s lower level, the project also addresses the need for a skilled workforce to sustain quality care. This dual focus on immediate child care provision and long-term capacity building underscores the comprehensive approach taken by Early Connections, setting a precedent for how communities can collaboratively invest in the social fabric that supports future generations.
Historical Legacy and Personal Stories
Honoring a Century-Old Mission
The roots of Early Connections Learning Centers stretch back to 1897, when it was founded as the Colorado Springs Day Nursery by philanthropist Alice Bemis Taylor alongside a group of 14 women dedicated to supporting working mothers. Naming the new facility after Taylor is a fitting tribute to this enduring legacy, symbolizing a continued commitment to the organization’s original mission of providing accessible child care to those in need. This historical connection, highlighted during the groundbreaking event, serves as a powerful reminder of the community’s long-standing resolve to prioritize family support through innovative and compassionate initiatives. The center stands as a modern embodiment of values that have guided the region for over a century, blending tradition with progress to meet contemporary challenges.
This deep history is further reinforced by institutional support that has spanned generations, notably through contributions from organizations like El Pomar Foundation, which has provided 137 grants to Early Connections since 1937. R. Thayer Tutt Jr., vice chairman of the foundation, spoke at the ceremony about the significance of this ongoing partnership, reflecting on how the organization’s mission has remained relevant through changing times. The preservation of this legacy through the naming of the center not only honors past efforts but also inspires current and future generations to uphold the same dedication to community service. It illustrates how historical foundations can inform and strengthen present-day solutions, ensuring that the spirit of early philanthropy continues to address modern societal needs with unwavering focus.
Personal Ties and Emotional Impact
The groundbreaking event was imbued with personal narratives that added emotional depth to the project’s significance, illustrating its impact on individual lives across generations. R. Thayer Tutt Jr. shared a heartfelt story of his family’s connection to Early Connections, recounting how his grandmother was a close friend of Alice Bemis Taylor and an early supporter of the initiative. This commitment was passed down, with Tutt himself attending the preschool as a child and his wife currently contributing to the organization’s efforts. Such stories highlight the intergenerational bonds that tie the community to this cause, demonstrating how the center is more than a facility—it is a continuation of personal and familial dedication to nurturing young minds within Colorado Springs.
Mayor Mobolade also contributed a moving perspective, reflecting on how his own children benefited from the nurturing environment provided by an Early Connections center, shaping their early development in profound ways. This personal testimony resonated with many attendees, underscoring the tangible difference that quality early education can make in a child’s life and, by extension, in the lives of their families. These individual accounts transform the project from a mere construction endeavor into a deeply human story of growth, support, and community connection. They serve as compelling evidence of the center’s potential to touch lives on a personal level, reinforcing the importance of sustained investment in early childhood programs as a means of building stronger, more cohesive communities.
Future Growth and Vision
Expanding Access to Care
Looking beyond the immediate impact of the Alice Bemis Taylor Center, Early Connections Learning Centers is actively pursuing further initiatives to broaden child care access throughout Colorado Springs. Currently serving around 300 children across five facilities, the organization is already in the planning stages for a sixth center, set to be integrated into an upcoming affordable housing complex. This forward-thinking approach reflects a commitment to addressing the evolving needs of the community through strategic partnerships and innovative infrastructure development. By aligning child care services with housing projects, Early Connections ensures that families in transitional or economically challenged situations have access to essential support, creating a more integrated network of care.
These expansion plans are bolstered by collaborative efforts with government entities, private foundations, and local leaders, all of whom recognize the urgency of increasing child care capacity in the region. The proactive stance taken by Early Connections demonstrates a model of adaptability, responding to demographic shifts and economic pressures with targeted solutions. As the Alice Bemis Taylor Center prepares to open its doors in March of the following year, it sets a precedent for how such projects can scale to meet growing demand. This ongoing dedication to expansion not only addresses immediate shortages but also positions the organization as a leader in shaping the future of early education, ensuring that more children and families can benefit from quality care in the years ahead.
Aligning with Broader Aspirations
The vision behind this new facility extends far beyond local impact, aligning with ambitious state and local goals to establish Colorado as the premier state for raising a family, and Colorado Springs as the ideal city for family life. Lisa Roy, speaking at the event on behalf of the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, emphasized how initiatives like this one contribute to a larger framework of family-friendly policies that prioritize accessibility and quality in early education. By serving as a potential blueprint for other communities facing similar challenges, the center’s model of combining direct child care provision with professional training spaces addresses systemic issues in a comprehensive manner, offering scalable solutions that could influence statewide approaches.
Furthermore, the collaborative spirit evident in the project’s funding and community support highlights the power of collective action in achieving these broader aspirations. The $750,000 grant from the city, alongside historical and ongoing contributions from entities like El Pomar Foundation, showcases a united front in tackling child care shortages. As Early Connections continues to innovate and expand, the success of this center could inspire further investment in early childhood education, reinforcing the idea that supporting families is a shared responsibility with far-reaching benefits. This alignment with state and local objectives ensures that the project’s legacy will contribute to a lasting transformation in how communities prioritize and provide for their youngest members.
