The Fort Worth City Council on Tuesday made a move that it hopes will advance efforts to transform the Las Vegas Trail neighborhood, approving a land lease agreement that paves the way for a Las Vegas Trail Child Development Campus to become a reality for the high need community.
Child Care Associates will build and operate the new facility that is slated to be adjacent to the existing LVTRise Community Center. The city is leasing the land to Child Care Associates for $1 for a 30-year term.
“Over the past two years, we’ve made incredible progress for the residents of Las Vegas Trail, and a child care development campus is a vital next step in that revitalization,” says District 3 City Councilman Michael Crain. “This project has been a true team effort, and I appreciate the vision of my predecessor, Councilman Bryan Byrd, the team at LVTRise, and Child Care Associates. It’s a big moment, but more work is still to come, and I look forward to continuing our efforts to support a thriving Las Vegas Trail neighborhood.”
Says Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker: “For a neighborhood to thrive, there absolutely must be accessible, high-quality options for early learning and care to ensure we can support our working families. This project is an incredible value add to the Las Vegas Trail neighborhood, building off of the success of the LVTRise Community Center project, and I’m confident that LVTRise and Child Care Associates are the ideal organizations to bring this vision to life.”
Land preparation and construction of the facility is estimated to start late summer or early fall. Construction and finish out of the eight-classroom, approximately 8,600-square-foot child development facility is projected to take 18 months.
Child Care Associates estimates it will serve 100 children through Head Start and Early Head Start. Head Start and Early Head Start programs are free, nationally funded programs designed to promote school readiness for children from low-income families. Early Head Start serves pregnant women and families with children under age 3. Head Start programs serve children between 3 and 5 years old. Home visiting services to support expectant mothers is an additional program option. Check here for eligibility and enrollment information.
“We are thrilled to partner with the city and LVTRise on this project and look forward to bringing whole child and family supports to a neighborhood that needs it. This is another step toward our collective commitment to invest in infants and toddlers,” says Kara Waddell, president and CEO of Child Care Advocates. “CCA will be working hand in hand with existing quality child care providers in the area and those we will serve in this community to assure together we are offering the range of child care services needed to provide a whole working day of support for families.”
In October 2021, the city announced the initiation of a feasibility study with a goal to develop a comprehensive plan to guide its revitalization efforts of the Las Vegas Trail area. In December of that year, the city designated $3.5 million in grant funding to the Las Vegas Trail area, unrelated to the LVT Child Development Campus.
“I am beyond excited about the opportunity to build a 0-5 early learning plan for Las Vegas Trail families that includes Early Head Start, Head Start, child care and Pre-K programming,” says Paige Charbonnet, LVTRise interim director. “Early education is critical to promoting school readiness. Being able to offer that in a safe and positive environment can change the life trajectory and lifetime outcomes for these families.”
