Project Getting Strong Support From Local and State Officials; Aggressive Capital Campaign Begins
Rick Langenberg
The idea of generating $1 million in a month may seem like a lofty, impossible goal for a small community.
But this is the gambling town of Cripple Creek and the drive for the community’s $3.4 million childcare center project, aimed at accommodating 66 children in the first phase, has hit the accelerator pedal like never before. Probably no need has been stressed in the community as much as the push for a full-fledged daycare center. As a result, the theme of a new capital campaign, “$1 Million Match in a Month,” is becoming much more than a catchy phrase, with the project now becoming more realistic every day and one that continues to draw support from state and local officials, business leaders, nonprofits, and even area musicians.
“We have $1.4 million to go,” said Ted Borden, executive director of the Aspen Mine Center and Community of Caring. He admits that is still a challenging fiscal hill to climb, but much smaller than what the community faced a month ago.
In recent weeks, the dream of constructing a 10,000 square-foot facility on Bennett Avenue, next to the Aspen Mine Center West, called “A Place For Kids,” has definitely turned the corner and continues to gain momentum.
At a recent meeting, Borden told the council that it’s now official, the project has landed a $1 million grant from the state’s Energy/Mineral Impact Assistance Fund. The news was expected for some time, but it wasn’t until recently that the Aspen Mine Center got the definite word that the grant is a go. As a result, this could propel the project’s prospects of breaking ground this spring and opening by the end of 2026.
A fund-raiser was then held on Nov. 22 at the Butte Theater, courtesy of a Snazzy-Jazzy Christmas concert, featuring the “Swing Factory” Big Band, with all proceeds going to the “A Place for Kids” project. Enthusiasm for the concert was quite high, along with giving the Swing Factory, under the direction of Craig Harms, a new performing venue.
The Cripple Creek City Council has expressed much support for the project, as childcare has emerged as a critical need in the community. The city is the funding entity for the project.
At their most recent meeting, they gave the green light for Borden’s request to allow Deb Downs, the former town manager of Victor, to serve as a key facilitator to monitor the $1 million grant for Community of Caring. She has much expertise in dealing with grants of this caliber that involve many regulatory details. Also, the city agreed to consolidate the lots where the center will be constructed to eliminate much red tape from a land-use perspective.
But more importantly, the Creek’s elected leaders wanted to see the project become a reality as soon as possible and reach a 100-percent occupancy rate and serve all facets of the community.
No one is arguing with this goal.
“The community deserves this,” said Lisa Noble, the fund-raising and development director, who has been involved in many community projects in southern Teller. “Our families deserve a safe place for their kids.” She noted the project will help provide vital services for all phases of the workforce, including casino employees, teachers, firefighters, police officers, government workers and shop operators.
Borden has cautioned that the project will not replace Head Start or prior work in addressing the issue of childcare in the community. Initial plans call for the facility to be open five days a week, but that timetable will definitely increase as the project progresses.
Now, the real work begins, via an aggressive capital campaign. In order to really make the project happen, the funds must be in place prior to the spring’s groundbreaking so the childcare center project is “shovel ready.”
In the next few weeks, more information will be released regarding the capital fund-raising effort and how local businesses and individuals can get involved.
