Vail, Colo., June 23, 2025 — The Vail Valley Foundation (VVF), through its Eagle River Valley Childcare nonprofit, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony today for a new early childhood education and development facility in Avon. This milestone marks the beginning of construction of the much-needed childcare facility, which will be operated by Access Early Education Foundation. 

The all-electric, 13,590 -square-foot facility will provide high-quality early childhood education and development for 165 children ages 0-5, combining open-market availability with an innovative employer-sponsored model. The project represents a partnership between the Town of Avon and the Vail Valley Foundation. Avon is leasing the land for 50 years for $1.00 and is providing a package of financial contributions and incentives worth an estimated $800,000. VVF is leading the fundraising and development efforts. 

"It is rewarding to officially break ground on this transformative project that will help address the critical childcare shortage in our valley," said Mike Imhof, President of the Vail Valley Foundation. "After months of planning and collaboration with our partners, we are looking forward to bringing this vision to life. This facility will provide much-needed childcare options for working families and will deliver high-quality early childhood education to our community's youngest residents. We are deeply grateful for the vision and support of the Avon Town Council, and we express our gratitude to the many generous donors, foundations, and business partners who have helped ensure this project is possible." 

“This project could not happen without the leadership and commitment of the Vail Valley Foundation,” said Avon Mayor Tamra N. Underwood. “We are extremely grateful for Avon’s collaboration with VVF and welcome this very important and much needed facility to our town.”  

The facility, which was designed by Zehren and Associates and will be built by local company RA Nelson, is expected to be operational by fall 2026. Access Early Education Foundation will be the facility operator. Thanks to generous donations from Active Energies Solar and SolarStrap, the project will include progressive features such as photovoltaic solar panels and battery storage capacity. The project will also include a fund for tuition and staff housing assistance to ensure attraction and retention of qualified employees while providing accessibility for working families across varied income levels. 

The groundbreaking ceremony included remarks from key stakeholders and a ceremonial turning of the soil. 

For more information about the Avon Early Childhood Education and Development Center or to learn about ways to support this project, visit vvf.org.