Rick Langenberg
In a groundbreaking ceremony like none ever done in recent memory, the southern Teller community came out in force on Sept. 9 to celebrate the real beginning of the $5 million-plus “A Place For Kids” childcare center, culminating a vision originally crafted several decades ago.
With students from the CC/V RE-1 school district doing the initial digging, the project is now ready for site work and construction. A mini-foundation could be built within the next few months, with end of 2026 cited as the target date for completing the project’s first phase. This phase will be equipped to handle nearly 60 kids at one time.
The groundbreaking occurred before a huge crowd of community leaders, elected officials, and many residents and families. Mary Bielz, the charismatic Community of Caring Board chairperson didn’t disappoint the crowd, with a moving, emotional tribute to the project and the lauding of many individuals responsible for the center’s official groundbreaking. “We have come down this road for a long time,” said Bielz. “This is a glorious time in the neighborhood.”
In fact, Bielz noted that the genesis of the effort began with the Build A Generation group, which identified childcare as a growing need in the community 30 years ago. A group of leaders associated with the Woodland Park Community Church, including David Buttery, Norm Steen, Dick Carpenter and Lock Pierce, planted the seeds for the project, according to Ted Borden, the executive director for Community of Caring, by conducting a behind-the-scenes effort to bring a major childcare center to southern Teller. A task force then began meeting in 2019.
And the landing of significant grants, including a $1 million jackpot from the state’s Department of Local Affairs became the turning point, along with the city of Cripple Creek’s decision to back the effort and serve as the project’s fiscal agent.
But all these details took a backseat at last week’s celebration, which turned into a community party, capped by a few speeches, food, music and plenty of thank you tributes and a gathering time for many residents. Borden practically spent 15 minutes listing the number of non-profit organizations, businesses and individuals responsible for the project, with a special tribute made to the community itself.
Bielz personally gave gifts from a colorful stage area, and expounded on the symbolic significance of each present. She made sure to involve a hefty crowd of school kids, equipped with hard hats, and ready for digging dirt, to signify the beginning of “A Place For Kids.” Bielz made sure to make the groundbreaking into a unique experience. As vowed in an earlier interview by Lisa Noble, the director of fundraising and development for the Aspen Mine Center, “Whenever the Community of Caring gets involved (with groundbreaking and celebratory ceremonies), it gets pretty entertaining.”
Music was provided by Richard and Jill Beattie.
Real Work Begins
With the groundbreaking festivities reaching a conclusion, the real work now starts.
According to Borden, the project is not in the process of advertising for bids for the construction of the facility, with the award designation slated for early October.
The Community of Caring director hopes that the facility can have a mini-foundation built within the next few months, prior to winter. The project faces a facility completion deadline of late December, 2026 to meet the demands of their state grant. Sometime in the first quarter of 2027, A Place For Kids will open for business.
On the ever-going push for more project funds, a mega, A Place For Kids fund-raising gala will be held at the Chamonix casino in mid-October. More details will be announced in this paper. In addition, childcare proponents are hoping that “community projects” legislation, pursued by Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen, who represents the7th Congressional District that includes Teller County, will move forward. This could net the facility another $1 million-plus, which could be used for operations.
But currently, enough monies are secure for the first phase of construction, with the Community of Caring succeeding in raising close to $2.5 million.
