Young Tracks Preschool and Day Care Center, a Steamboat Springs child care center that was shut down earlier this year, has been purchased by the Yampa Valley Community Foundation to lease the space to Heritage Park Preschool.

According to a news release from the Yampa Valley Community Foundation, Heritage Park Preschool will also rebrand as Ski Town Early Learning Center following its move into the facility, expanding its capacity for care after obtaining Colorado licensure.

Heritage Park Preschool is “hopeful” to be fully moved into the facility by the fall, said Executive Director Melinda Maas.

“Our partners at the Colorado Department of Early Childhood have been very engaged in the conversations and are very supportive of expedited licensing,” said First Impressions of Routt County Executive Director Meg Franges. “They’re aware of where everything stands and are working to get (Ski Town Early Learning Center) licensed as soon as possible.”

On Feb. 11, Young Tracks’ license was suspended by the Colorado Department of Early Childhood after one of its teachers was accused of abusing children at the daycare.

A Steamboat woman was arrested and charged with one count of child abuse Feb. 7 after being accused of “violently” grabbing children by the arms and legs and scratching them, according to an arrest affidavit..

Shortly after the arrest, parents were asked to pick up their children from Young Tracks, and the daycare was shut down.

The state-issued suspension order said the Department of Early Childhood “became aware” of a staff member in the infant classroom allegedly “picking up babies by their legs,” and added that “staff and/or the director of the facility were aware of child abuse allegations and failed to report them to the county and/or law enforcement.”

The order added that, allegedly, “child abuse in the facility has been happening for approximately one to two years.”

In early June, 14th Judicial District Attorney Matt Karzen made the decision not to pursue prosecution against the woman due to “insufficient” evidence, according to a declination of prosecution letter from the district attorney’s office.

The shutdown left 78 children, ranging from 2 months old to 7 years old, without child care in Routt County, a community already short on child care options.

Following growing concerns about a lack of child care in the county, First Impressions of Routt County — a local organization that advocates for early childhood development — encouraged Heritage Park Preschool to move into the Young Tracks building, states the news release from the Yampa Valley Community Foundation. 

Heritage Park had been searching for a new facility before the Young Tracks shutdown due to the non-renewal of its existing lease. The Yampa Valley Community Foundation will provide a long-term lease for the preschool, as well as the option to purchase the property.

“We’ve been licensed and operating for 23 years and are excited to have the opportunity to continue helping meet the need for childcare for local families,” said Maas in a statement. “With the larger facility, we’ll be able to offer our small-group, high-quality classrooms to even more children.”

With the move to the new facility, Heritage Park will increase its enrollment to 62 spots, allowing an additional 22 Routt County preschoolers and infants to receive care.

“While the loss of Young Tracks as a child care provider does result in a net loss to this community of about 16 childcare spots, this loss would have been much more significant had Heritage Park Preschool not been able to relocate,” the news release adds.

“This whole situation is a really bittersweet ordeal,” said Franges. “Even though this is really exciting for Ski Town Early Learning Center, we are still seeing a net loss of childcare spots.”

Heritage Park currently has a waitlist of over 30 children born before Oct. 1, 2021, and “limited spots” available for children born after Oct. 1, 2021, according to the release.

Maas added that the 22 newly available spots have already been filled.

Franges added that First Impressions of Routt County is working to find sustainable funding solutions to increase capacities, particularly for toddlers and infants.

Along with the move, Heritage Park will be hiring three to four full-time or part-time teachers to provide increased care and education to the 62 children.

With a “prohibitive” down payment and relocation costs on the horizon, the Yampa Valley Community Foundation raised nearly $150,000 to support Heritage Park through the move.

“The early childhood education services provided by these nonprofits are essential to the wellness of our community,” said the Yampa Valley Community Foundation CEO, Tim Wohlgenant, in a statement. “We understand this, and our generous donors understand this and were willing to partner on the purchase of the facility as well as contribute funds to help support Heritage Park Preschool through the transition.”

The Young Tracks board of directors also supported the sale of the property, noting that the transition will help the child care crisis in Routt County.

According to the news release, Young Tracks will be “winding down the nonprofit business upon completion of the transaction.”

First Impressions of Routt County has been “integrally involved” in the solution, advocating for community interest and providing expertise in Colorado childcare licensure along the way, states the release.

“The collaboration between Heritage Park Preschool, the Young Tracks board, and the Community Foundation has been so positive and community-minded, it really has been a great development that’s going to serve local families,” said Franges in a statement. “We were glad to contribute our voice and move the effort forward.”

The Yampa Valley Community Foundation continues to support Routt County families through the First Impressions of Routt County Fund, which funds early childhood education and childcare providers as well as provides tuition assistance for low-income families.

For those Routt County families still struggling to find childcare, Franges encourages patience and persistence with waitlists and checking First Impressions resources for childcare openings.

“Things change throughout the year,” said Franges. “Today might feel really gloomy because you can’t get a spot, but that might be different in a month. Continue to have hope.”