Construction begins on new daycare facility in Ottertail

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

A plan that has been nearly three years in the making took a major step forward last Monday morning. 

The new Ottertail Family Center officially broke ground as the new facility aims to address a rising shortage of daycare options in the greater Otter Tail County area. The daycare facility will feature enough space for up to 48 children in a pair of duplexes located near the city’s water tower.

In addition to the daycare center, the Ottertail Community Center broke ground on a new gathering place in the community, even though that project may not happen until later this year or 2026.

The current project was the brainchild of Tyler and Alex Rupe, after Tyler made an off-the-cuff comment in the family’s frustration of finding a daycare opening approximately three years ago. 

“It honestly started about 2 1/2 years ago when our day care provider for our son was closing. We were in search for childcare and realized how difficult it was to find space for childcare,” said Alex Rupe. “Tyler made the comment, ‘we should start our own child care center.’ I sort of laughed and the next day he came back and said I think I figured out how we could do this.”

While the Rupes were eventually able to find childcare for their oldest child, they were once again reminded about the pressing need for day care facilities in the region when they had their second child late last year. 

“We just had our daughter in December of 2024 and I started calling day care centers about six months out. I called over 30 places to find a spot for our daughter. At six months in advance I was being told they wouldn’t have a spot for 1-2 years,” said Alex. 

As business owners themselves, the Ottertail couple began reaching out to people within the City of Ottertail, as well as residents to see if their dream of making a day care center could become a reality in town. What they quickly found was an overwhelming support from residents in town, many of whom no longer have children in need of day care, but have heard of the concern from the day care shortage across rural Minnesota.

What transpired since the Rupes initial conversation was nearly three years of planning, city council and planning meetings, grant writing and attempting to get donors on board to create what would become Ottertail Family Center.

The new daycare center will essentially be two duplexes that can house up to 12 children in each pod. The plan is to have individual providers essentially rent space from a non-profit organization called Three Little Otters that was started by the Rupes and will operate the day-to-day operation of the facility.

In addition to countless local donations and contributions, Otter Tail County was awarded a $240,000 Child Care Economic Development Grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (MN DEED). The funding will be a sub-grant to support the construction and start-up equipment costs of four child care sites in the City of Ottertail.

Even though the original off-the-cuff comment from Tyler centered around daycare, in the planning process the Ottertail family quickly learned about a need for additional common space in the community. Whether that be for seniors playing cards, tourists looking for physical activity or children wanting to have a place to play basketball or run, Tyler said there was an overwhelming need “to have a landing spot in this town.”

Construction on the recreation center will begin after the day care center and may not start until later this year or in 2026, depending on funding and the availability of contractors. When it is completed the plan is to have a full size basketball court, room for pickle ball players and a community room for meeting spaces or family gatherings.