The co-op preschool asked the council to terminate its lease earlier in May, after it decided to close its doors.
Board chair of the co-op, Anne Evans, said its model was unsustainable, largely due to only having half-day childcare and requiring parent volunteers.
The city council told staff at its meeting Thursday to put out a request for bids to find another childcare provider to fill the space in the Park City Library.
The council said it would like the replacement to provide daycare all-day, and possibly operate year-round.
Bari Nan Rothchild of Jeremy Ranch is a former president of the co-op, and both of her children were students there.
She used public comment to reminisce on memories there.
“Not every job at the co-op had such lofty goals or expectations or outcomes,” Rothchild said. “Each of them were acts or love and kindness. I cleaned toilets, I vacuumed the floor, I poured juice, I’d apply Band-Aids… Childhood is a full contact sport.”
Rothchild also encouraged the council to consider a proposal to use money from city coffers for local childcare.
“There’s some talk that the proposal that's coming before you is a Band-Aid," she said.
"Band-Aids get a bad rap. They buy time, they buy protection. They buy the ability to problem solve. So let’s start with that spirit… I’d like to see us spend the money and find ways to do so sustainability, in a way that’s going to benefit the community for the long-term.”
Councilmember Jeremy Rubell noted that he would be open to waiving rent for a childcare provider that comes forward with a quality proposal to fill the co-op space.
