Frozen pipe burst floods Duluth’s Lakeside Early Learning Center, displacing 60 families

A burst pipe on the top floor of Lakeside Early Learning Center sent thousands of gallons of water through all three stories of the building, forcing an immediate shutdown and leaving close to 60 families without regular childcare. The center faces at least $25,000 in repair costs and a looming payroll bill of about $20,000 next week as staff and parents scramble to find temporary arrangements.

Staff noticed a sudden drop in water pressure at about 3:20 p.m. Sunday, which revealed a broken pipe fitting on the third floor and water standing on lower levels. Classrooms, the infant room, toddler rooms and the library were soaked; walls and flooring were damaged and learning materials were ruined. No children or staff were harmed during the incident.

Executive director Kaylee Spencer said the leak left the center with two immediate priorities: make part of the building usable quickly and cover payroll while families seek alternative care. “We’re kind of looking at it in two phases, so we have the immediate needs of getting our open end of the building operating as soon as possible. So those expenses will include payroll that is due next week, which is about $20,000 of course, we don’t want to charge families tuition during this time when they’re seeking alternative care. And then also supplies,” Spencer said.

Co-director Megan Schmitz described the scramble to reconfigure space and licensing so undamaged areas can reopen sooner. “We have a large space, so half of our building can be used. So we’re rearranging rooms, trying to get them licensed, moving classrooms, doing this, doing that,” Schmitz said. Schmitz also framed the incident as part of a larger problem for the sector: “This is what happens when an emergency happens in child care. Immediate halt, immediate workforce stop, immediate confusion across everywhere.”

Staff have been helping families directly by providing off-site care and babysitting for some children, and several employees have volunteered to help with cleanup and repairs without pay. The center has set up a GoFundMe to replace supplies, cover deductibles and help bridge payroll while enrollment pauses; administrators say families will not be charged during the closure.

Local officials framed the closure as a signal of broader strain in the childcare system. St. Louis County Commissioner Ashley Grimm said the episode “illustrates the need for local and state government officials to offer greater support for child care providers.” Duluth City Councilor Wendy Durrwachter called the loss of another local slot “devastating to the community” given persistent shortages of childcare.

Administrators hope to reopen damaged areas as quickly as licensing and cleanup allow; Spencer said best-case the center could get brand-new classrooms up as soon as Monday, while other statements project reopening next week if plans hold. For families, the immediate needs are backup care and clarity on how long Lakeside will be unable to serve roughly 60 households. For policy makers and funders, the episode underscores fragile finances in childcare operations and the risks a single infrastructure failure can pose to working families and the local economy.