A Park City building with a rich history as an educational institution is expected to continue a long tradition of learning with its new occupants next month.

PC Tots has been working to open its newest center on the third floor of the Park City Library since securing the space from City Hall in the fall. The expansion will allow the nonprofit preschool to increase its capacity by 20%, allowing it to serve even more families within the child-care desert.

Sue Banerjee, the executive director of PC Tots, said the Park City Library space will allow the nonprofit to further its mission of providing high-quality, affordable early education. PC Tots provides full-day, year-round care geared toward supporting working families.

The new center will be the third for PC Tots. It’s set to open in early 2024 with the possibility of students and teachers starting in January. The facility will serve around 20 children who are between 3 and 5 years old. 

Park City Co-op Preschool previously occupied the space, but the child-care provider closed earlier this year. The Park City Council in September approved a reduced rent, 10-year lease for PC Tots to take over in hopes of continuing much-needed day-care services. The agreement calls for check-in points after two years with the option to extend after additional integral periods.

Banerjee anticipated a fairly smooth transition to the new space because it was already designed for child care. Some usable supplies were left behind by the co-op, such as children’s desks and a bathroom furnished for little ones. 

However, the previous program was only for a few hours, so PC Tots needed to purchase cots, a new security system and equipment for outside. The nonprofit is seeking sponsors to help offset the costs.

There will be no difference between the new center and other PC Tots locations other than the ages served. The nonprofit accepts children 6 weeks to 5 years old. 

Banerjee recognized that the under-3 population is underserved, but state regulations require kids under 3 to be kept on the first floor because of evacuation concerns. This means they could not be housed in the new center. 

The law also requires a ratio of one staff member for four infants or one staff member for 10 preschoolers. The new center will employ three teachers. Existing staff is being transferred to the facility to ensure there’s consistency in the curriculum, which is designed to prepare children for kindergarten. Kids learn about counting and colors, start to recognize letters and numbers, develop fine motor skills, and learn critical social skills such as self-regulation and self-advocacy.

Around 80% of PC Tots families rely on tuition scholarships to help pay for child-care services. Banerjee said people might not have access to high-quality care without it. Families in Summit County pay around $400 to $2,800 a month for care.

Park City Municipal this year committed $1 million to help fund a scholarship for families with children who are not yet eligible for kindergarten and who live within the city limits. Banerjee wasn’t sure the impact it would have on PC Tots families, but she expected they would be able to leverage the funds. Summit County has committed $150,000 for its employees in the 2024 budget.

Gov. Spencer Cox also proposed adding funding for child care in the FY 2025 state budget.

Banerjee acknowledged the ongoing challenges in the child care industry amid staffing shortages, the cost of providing care and the drop off in federal funding. Demand has increased by 220% nationwide over 30 years and child-care costs have risen an average of 32% since 2019. 

Officials need to look at how to address the issue holistically, according to Banerjee. She said there’s a large return on investment for communities that invest in education. It’s also cheaper to start earlier, rather than intervene when a child is already in school. 

Park City relies on its service economy, and Banerjee said there should be more support for working parents here.

“They’re in this community, and they’re able to provide their talents and services because of what we do. We’re the workforce behind the workforce,” she said. “If we don’t have community support then we see the negative effect. Those parents can’t do everything they do.”

PC Tots is at capacity, serving around 100 children. There’s also a waitlist with 97 kids on it. Banerjee anticipates some spots will open once the new center is operational. The preschool is still accepting applications for its Park City Library location. 

A ribbon cutting for the new center will likely take place with City Hall, possibly once the Sundance Film Festival concludes. Visit pctots.org for more information.