Katy YMCA board members turn dirt at the site where the area's second YMCA will be built near Main Street and Kingsland Boulevard. Katy YMCA board members turn dirt at the site where the area's second YMCA will be built near Main Street and Kingsland Boulevard.[/caption]

Officials from the YMCA of Greater Houston and the Katy Family YMCA held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday for Katy’s second YMCA, which is expected to open in the first quarter of 2017.

“We know that Katy is increasing significantly in population and there’s a need to support the families and youth in this area,” YMCA Board Chairman Carlos Valdez said.

The new facility—called the YMCA at Katy Main Street—is being built at the intersection of Main Street and Kingsland Boulevard. The two-story, 41,000-square-foot structure is expected to cost $12 million.

The facility will feature an outdoor jogging trail, strength training and cardio equipment, a basketball gym, group exercise rooms, an outdoor heated swimming pool, child care rooms and a cycle studio.

Brian Haines, vice president of operations for the YMCA of Greater Houston, said construction is expected to begin on the new facility in mid-April.

Speakers at the event attributed the need for the new YMCA to Katy’s growth.

The new YMCA is anticipated to serve about 20,000 people by 2019 and have 400,000 visits a year.

Leonard Merrell, a Katy YMCA board member and chairman of the capital steering committee for the new facility, said the campaign has raised $1.4 million but is still seeking an additional $1 million in funding.

With Katy’s growth, Merrell said there could be more YMCA’s built in Katy in the future.

“The second YMCA, which we’re talking about, is honestly probably not the last one that we’re talking about in the city of Katy,” he said.