BROOMFIELD, Colo. — A Broomfield preschool is in need of help after a pipe burst Tuesday and flooded the library and gym.
Bal Swan Children's Center said 800 books — many of which are geared toward children with special needs — were destroyed.
The 60-year-old school was founded by five families who were looking for an inclusive environment for their children with disabilities. Today, more than 30 percent of the children at Bal Swan have special needs.
Director Debbie Kunz said the pipe burst at six different locations in the school's ceiling. Staff initially noticed a lack of cold water at the therapy pool before being alerted to the leak by several children.
"All of a sudden, some kids came running and said it was raining in the gym," said Kunz.
The school was able to shut off the water supply after a few minutes of flooding, but the damage was extensive. Kunz said the main burst happened above their bookshelves and music area, damaging the books, instruments and carpeting.
Although their priority is rebuilding the school library, Kunz said the flooding could also delay their expansion plans.
"We are in the middle of a huge capital campaign now to demolish this building and build a whole new campus," said Kunz.
Bal Swan planned a 2-year expansion, but will now have to divert their limited funds to cover repairs.
"This industry is so hard that there isn't money when a crisis happens to fix the crisis," said Kunz.
Kunz said contractors will return in three weeks to determine the extent of the damages.
Although the initial outlook looks promising, the school is now beginning the difficult task of replacing its damaged library. Many of the damaged books are board books with thick materials, meaning they will be more expensive to replace.
"They're going to run five to eight dollars more than a paper book," said Kunz. "For a child with a disability, they don't have a book that they can be successful with."
Denver7 has launched a Denver7 Gives fundraiser to help Bal Swan restore its library. If you would like to donate, visit Denver7 Gives and select "Replace Books At Bal Swan Children's Center" from the drop-down menu.
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