Sarah Tober writes: Why Childcare? Why Now?

When we decided to tackle child care in 2024, people asked, “Why child care? Why now?” The answer? The hidden cost of our child care gaps.

In this Opinion column, published in the Durango Herald on March 2nd, 2025 the Executive Director of the La Plata Economic Development Alliance details the hidden costs of our community’s childcare challenges.

Our current child care capacity falls short, with a gap of 991 total licensed spots. Within this shortage, 576 spots are missing in licensed infant care (0–18 months), where there are only 80 licensed spots for 656 infants currently. Without intervention, our county’s early child care capacity is projected to drop below 1,000 total spots by 2030.

These shortfalls disrupt our business ecosystem and diminish our residents’ quality of life. In La Plata County, 60% of employers have reported losing staff due to child care challenges, exacerbating labor shortages and driving up recruitment costs. Meanwhile, 59% of parents report reducing their working hours or leaving the workforce entirely – resulting in La Plata County experiencing $34 million in lost wages annually.

At the La Plata Economic Development Alliance, we’re known for tackling workforce housing and business capacity. That’s why we worked alongside the Early Childhood Council of La Plata County and other key partners to develop the La Plata Early Childcare Strategic Investment Plan, the first county-wide initiative of its kind in Colorado.

Our plan calls for a $20M investment over five years to stabilize and expand child care access, double the number of slots available for children 0-3, and create sustainable solutions through public-private-philanthropic partnerships.

If you are interested in learning more about the child care investment plan, attend the public meeting at the Durango Public Library on Wednesday, March 12 at 5:30 p.m. or review the entire plan and submit feedback at https://yeslpc.com/alliance-programs/childcare-strategy/.

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