YMCA to operate new Dove Springs early education center opening in March

The city has chosen the Greater Austin YMCA to run an early education center at the Dove Springs Public Health Facility, which opened in November. The new 10,000-square-foot facility, funded by a 2018 bond proposal, will provide affordable child care for working families in Southeast Austin. The YMCA Tomorrow Academy will serve children from six weeks to five years old, offering early literacy, STEM education, creative arts, and nature-based learning. The center aims to address long-standing child care shortages in the area while supporting parents’ workforce participation. The Dove Springs location is part of a larger effort to expand early education access in Austin, with the YMCA planning to serve up to 1,000 children across multiple centers by 2030. The new academy will open in March 2025. The YMCA will operate the center for an initial three-year term, with an option to renew for an additional three years. The facility is located at 5811 Palo Blanco Lane, adjacent to the Dove Springs Public Health Facility, which provides preventive health care and employment services. City officials say the combined resources will help close service gaps for historically underserved residents.