RANGELEY — Despite the challenges presented with winter weather, construction of a new childcare center adjacent to Rangeley Lakes Regional School is moving steadily forward. The Rangeley Childcare Center is on track to open in the fall, a little more than a year after breaking ground on the project.

The center will accommodate 74 children six weeks old through school age. Children in full care programs will be divided into age-appropriate classrooms. An extra classroom will accommodate additional programs such as before and after school care for kindergarten and first grade students, as well as special programs on demand.

The Beth Brunswick Memorial Fund for Children is organizing the project, intended to bring much needed childcare to the region.

A graphic building elevation depiction of the future Rangeley Childcare Center.

“Beth was my dear friend,” said Ellen Oppenheim, chair of the organization. “She was a great champion of the Rangeley region. She was behind getting the Rangeley Health and Wellness Center and Rangeley Family Medicine built. She did private fundraising in order to get both those projects completed.”

Her next idea was for a childcare center for the region.

“Sadly, Beth fought a really courageous battle against ovarian cancer. At the very end of her life, she was initiating some effort towards this project but wasn’t able to follow through. Right before she passed in 2022, I went to see her, and she asked me to do this for her as a dear friend.”

Brunswick expressed the same request to two other Rangeley residents who have since become leaders in the effort, Vice Chair George Bernstein and Treasurer Leanna Wilbur.

Bernstein has a background in childcare, preschool and K-12 education. Wilbur has worked tirelessly for more than 30 years on grassroots community projects that have brought necessary services to the region, including working with Brunswick on RHW.

“That is the background of the project,” explained Oppenheim. “It is your best friend asking you to do this for her when she passes. Her spirit is kept alive by this effort, and we are very happy about that. We know she’s smiling down on the efforts that we’re making and that brings us joy.”

The memorial fund was established so that anyone who wanted to make a donation upon her death could do so.

“People were incredibly generous,” she continued. “That gave us a good start. From there, it has been a huge effort. I’m proud to say it has really been a positive public/private endeavor.”

Initially the project was estimated to cost $3.5 million. The organization has received $2 million in federal and state grants to date. The Northern Borders Regional Commission granted the project $1 million. The state’s Child Care Infrastructure Act granted $250,000. Oppenheim said Senator Susan Collins helped secure $750,000 in congressionally directed spending.

The Federal and State funding grants are paid out as the construction progresses, Oppenheim said. The organization has been advised that the grants are safe from current federal funding cuts and freezes.

A digital rendering of the Rangeley Childcare Center infant room provided by Kaplan Early Learning Company.

“The other $1.5 million, we have been working to raise through private philanthropy, corporate grants and foundations. We’ve reached our initial goal of $3.5 million,” Oppenheim said. “Of course, inflation and some unexpected things that come up that have moved the goal posts slightly. We still have a bit of money to raise but the end is really very close.”

The projected project cost now sits at about $3.6 million due, in part, to grant and funding requirements, and inflation. The funding shortfall is about $68,000, Oppenheim said.

The need for a childcare center in such a rural region is evident when exploring the number of slots available to both residents and those that commute to the area to work. As of the end of February, there were 17 open childcare slots in the region split between two in-home providers and a nursery school, according to Oppenheim.

“There just are not enough slots,” Oppenheim said. “Because of state mandated ratios, each of these providers can only allow so many children in their program. Each of these providers has a waiting list and especially the one provider who takes infants,” Oppenheim said. “She has stated that her waiting list is three years long. Three years. I mean, those kids will never get in because by the time three years is up, they are heading to the next level.”

When factoring in the number of people from surrounding communities commuting to Rangeley for work, the problem is compounded.

“People want their young children in childcare near their place of work just for proximity,” Oppenheim explained. “When they get older, parents want children to be in childcare near where they live and near where the child goes to school.

Additionally, the largest classes at Rangeley Lakes Regional School are Kindergarten, 1st and 3rd grade.

“We see this population bubble that has expanded since the pandemic,” Oppenheim said. “We all know that people have moved to more rural areas since remote work has become acceptable. Rangeley now has incredible broadband, so that is possible. All those issues combined to the point that there is an increased demand for childcare.”

The region is defined as a childcare desert, she said. The closest licensed childcare facility is in Farmington, 40 miles away.

“I could share anecdotal stories with you from the human resources people at Saddleback or other employers who said they were going to hire a wonderful young person but when they inquired about childcare, they couldn’t take the job. Childcare is a necessity for young families.”

Without childcare, young families may commute outside of town for work or move nearer to places with available childcare. Some parents exit the workforce due to lack of affordable childcare.

“Out migration from Rangeley for young families has been an issue and we really hope that this will help solve some of the loss of the young population that any vibrant community needs,” Oppenheim said.

The new center will fill a void in the community rather than duplicate existing programs.

“Our efforts are intended to not duplicate what already exists. What we want to do is fill gaps for families,” she added. “There is a pre-school program at Rangeley Lakes Regional School, but it is only two and a half hours a day, so we will have wraparound care for those children.”

Curriculum will be tied to the school for ease of transition, she added.

After school care for kindergarten and 1st grade students will be offered. Due to the proximity to the school, teachers will walk students to the center, she noted. The center will not offer an after-school program for children in grades 2 through 5 because one already exists through RHW.

“We will have a before and after school program that is not duplicative of what is being offered by other town resources. It is really important that we are just filling gaps and not competing.”

Childcare subsidies are expected to offset costs for qualified families.

“A local social worker, who is well known and trusted by the local community, will work with families to ensure that their information is kept confidential. She will help with all that paperwork to obtain those subsidies,” Oppenheim said. “Privacy is very important to our families and we want to respect that.”

However, state funding for subsidized childcare, the Child Care Affordability Program, has been exhausted and it is not clear if the program will be funded in future state budgets. Oppenheim is hopeful the program will be funded. However, there is an endeavor underway to assure affordability for the families that need it most.

The foundation recently submitted a letter of intent to apply for a $50,000 Public Service Grant through the Community Development Block Grant program. Grant applications are by invitation only. If the project is notified that it is invited to apply, and if the grant is successfully awarded, funds will help with subsidizing childcare.

“We are creating 14 jobs. Eleven will be full-time, three will be part-time. But also, we will be enabling residents to go back to work. Enhancing the workforce leads to economic development which is really important,” she said.

Filling those positions with qualified staff is not a concern, even for such a remote region.

“My colleagues, who have experience in this field, tell me what happens when you open a childcare center, is you have an array of young parents who are stuck at home. They think maybe they could go back to work, make some money, be with their child, and have benefits. Maybe it’s better than them staying home,” Oppenheim explained.

The head teacher in each classroom will have the necessary licensing for early learning. However, each classroom will have a second staff member and the licensing requirement for somebody who is not a head teacher is not “terribly complicated”, she said.

“We have had inquiries from local people who have expressed an interest,” Oppenheim continued. “Between the people who are staying home now and might consider going back to work, and those who used to be in childcare and expressed an interest in converting back into childcare. We feel that there will be enough certainly to get us started.”

The foundation is working in conjunction and partnership with Community Concepts, Inc. to hire an executive director. Other partnerships include Coastal Enterprises, Inc. and Educare.

“We have had a lot of donations in kind. We would love to have more, if anybody or any local businesses are interested in somehow providing services, that would be fantastic,” she said. “I’ll emphasize that this is a public/private effort. Everybody has been incredibly supportive because the shortage of childcare plagues the country, not to mention the state and, certainly, Franklin County.”

For instance, PowerPoint Generators donated a generator; LL Bean donated products; Kaplan Early Learning has offered the center “very beneficial pricing on contents for classrooms; Mike Cerminara Landscaping has offered to do landscaping.

“More than 20 local businesses have made such a contribution. That is just incredible to see that kind of commitment from the local business community. We have a lot of other requests out there and we are hoping to see more community efforts,” Oppenheim said. “We are so incredibly grateful for all the community support, and it is such a broad community. It is not just Rangeley, it is the support of other state agencies, corporations and businesses. It wouldn’t be possible without them and without the grants we have received” Oppenheim said.

Rangeley Childcare Center site work continues Tuesday, March 4. The plan is to have concrete poured later in March. Submitted photo

Foundation walls were in place at the end of February. Concrete is expected to be poured by the end of March. Contractors will then work on fully enclosing the building so interior work can begin.

The center is projected to open in late September or early October.

To learn more about the project or donation opportunities, visit bethbrunswickmemorialfund.org