The Bill Bartley Family YMCA in Wichita Falls is more than halfway through construction on a new indoor swim facility, the Vicki and Jim McCoy Aquatics Center, with an opening date set for mid-August, according to YMCA leaders.
Associate Executive Director Noah Matthews told KFDX/KJTL that the scale of the facility is new for the city. "An aquatic center of this size is just something Wichita Falls has never had," Matthews said. He described the indoor space as designed for both competitive use and general community programming.
What the facility will include
- A 10-lane main competition pool
- Adaptive-swim accommodations, including a pool chairlift
- Touch-pad timing on the pool edge that displays results on a digital scoreboard
- Capacity for summer camp programming and partnerships with local swim teams
Community Executive Director Troy Griggs said the project is intended in part to address drowning prevention. "The community is addressing the need of drownings in the state of Texas," Griggs said. He added that the YMCA expects to host swim teams and run summer camps at the facility.
Leaders said the center may also be capable of hosting regional swim meets, which could draw visitors to the area.
Construction is ongoing at the Bill Bartley Family YMCA campus, with leaders targeting an August opening.