Bay City, TX (August 2026) – After years of careful planning, the Bay City Community Development Corporation, the City of Bay City, Matagorda County, and the YMCA celebrate the groundbreaking of their landmark aquatic center. The project came about through Wellness Matagorda, an organization started in Matagorda County to help residents live healthier lives. Wellness Matagorda first created a Wellness Dome through their partnership with the hospital, offering a gym and therapy space to residents, followed by a walking trail. The aquatics center was the final phase of the project, made possible by the public private partnership between Bay City CDC and the YMCA.
Located adjacent to the Bay City Civic Center, the Aquatic Center will provide the county’s first year-round public aquatics center, offering safe, accessible opportunities for recreation, fitness, competitive swimming, and lifesaving water safety education. The Aquatics Center will feature an indoor pool for year-round use, an outdoor recreation pool, and spaces designed to support swim instruction, aquatic fitness, and competitive athletics.
While the Center will provide valuable recreational opportunities, its primary purpose is to improve water safety and community wellness. As a coastal county, Matagorda County faces an ongoing need for accessible swim instruction and water safety education. Through YMCA programming, the Center will offer swim lessons, water safety education, lifeguard certification, and more.
Groundbreaking on the site took place July 20th followed swiftly by the start of construction. The outdoor sections of the Center are anticipated to be completed in the Summer of 2027, followed by completion of the indoor sections in the Fall of 2027. Financing for the project was provided by Government Capital Corporation, Southlake, Texas.
“We are incredibly grateful to Government Capital for their knowledge and expertise in financing for Texas community development corporations,” Melanie Townsend, Executive Director at Bay City CDC, shared. “Their partnership allowed us to make our vision a reality for our community.”
“I want to congratulate Melanie Townsend, Bay City CDC, and the communities of Bay City and Matagorda County on this landmark project,” Stephanie Cates, Senior Vice President at Government Capital Corporation, shared. “We take great pride in partnering with Texas development corporations and their private partners to provide funding to achieve their goals and objectives.”
About Bay City Community Development Corporation
Bay City, the county seat of Matagorda County, Texas, is situated just one hour from Houston and 20 miles from the Texas Gulf coast. The city covers 8.5 square miles and has a population of over 17,500 people. Bay City CDC’s mission is to create a welcoming, positive environment that encourages new and current businesses and their employees to invest in Bay City with human and financial capital. To learn more about Bay City CDC, visit baycitytxcdc.net.
About Government Capital Corporation
Government Capital Corporation is a leading public finance firm providing professional financial services to all local governmental entities. Since its founding in 1992, the company and its affiliates have successfully completed thousands of municipal financings exceeding $7 billion in Texas and across the country. For more information, visit www.govcap.com.
