Many families whose children attend the Tot Spot child care center in Macedon in Wayne County, are upset and frustrated after receiving a letter on Monday night informing them that the facility will close in less than three weeks, after 35 years in business. The center, located on Brixton Drive in Macedon, is slated to close Aug. 1, leaving parents panicking to find alternative care for their children.

Owners Mark and Wendy Mendola cited “semi-retirement” as a reason for shutting down. They also stated in the  letter to parents that they decided to close during the “slowest, least impactful time of the year.”

 Why such a short timeline? This is the biggest question parents are asking.

Many wrote and posted online to voice their frustration about the Mendola’s decision. Some say it is a race to find anything similar to what Tot Spot offers -  especially universal pre-kindergarten programs.

The Child Care Council, a Child Care Aware Quality Assured agency that provides information, training, and resources to child care providers and parents in Livingston, Monroe, and Wayne counties, says this closure is yet another pandemic-related blow.

“With the pandemic, especially in Wayne County, Livingston County, and even Monroe County, those are the counties that we serve, and they got hit really hard,” Jeffrey Pier, executive director of the Child Care Council said. “We lost a lot of centers and a lot of programs. We are in the rebuilding phase right now, so to lose a program this size definitely hurts the industry.” Now, the pressure is on for these Tot Spot parents. A call to the facility on Thursday, went to voice mail. We did not hear back from either of the owners for comment.

If your family is directly impacted by Tot Spot’s closure, the Child Care Council says there are alternatives, such as family and group providers. 

For more information on how the Child Care Council can help, visit their website or call (585) 654-4720.

(News partner 13WHAM, contributed to this story)