The Arlington–Mansfield Area YMCA told the Kennedale City Council on Aug. 5 that it wants to open a roughly 10,000‑square‑foot satellite branch in the shopping center near Paints Field and asked the city to contribute $775,000 toward the facility build‑out.

The YMCA presentation, delivered by Eric Tucker, CEO of the Arlington–Mansfield Area YMCA, said the association will invest about $500,000 in equipment and initial build‑out and that the city contribution would enable family and senior rates that the YMCA believes the community can afford. "We raise over half a million dollars a year to ensure that no one has been turned away for the inability to pay," Tucker said.

The YMCA said it has done community needs assessments and stakeholder interviews in Kennedale and is proposing a small, centrally located hub with multipurpose space, after‑school programming and health and wellness offerings. Tucker said the proposed site would anchor local retail traffic and estimated 2,250 members and roughly 65,000 visits in the first year. "We project 2,250 members projected in the first year," Tucker said. He also described equipment costs of about $300,000–$325,000 as part of the build‑out.

Why it matters: Council members and staff framed the question as one of public‑private partnership and affordability. The YMCA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates municipal partnerships elsewhere; Tucker told council that municipal contributions commonly reduce membership fees for local residents and that the association keeps program scholarships available for those who cannot pay.

Council questions and clarifications: Council members asked whether existing Arlington‑area YMCA members could use the new Kennedale location; Tucker said memberships are reciprocal across the association's branches. Members also pressed for concrete pricing scenarios: Tucker provided sample rates from the association’s pricing structure and said a family month‑to‑month rate currently listed by the association is $95; an adult annual contract example he cited was $24–$29 per month, while a month‑to‑month adult rate in the association is higher. Tucker said that without a municipal contribution the association would need to raise member rates significantly to cover the full build‑out costs.

Next steps and limits of tonight’s discussion: The presentation was informational; the council did not vote on any funding at the Aug. 5 meeting. Tucker said the YMCA will deliver a fresh community needs report in October and that the association has already run sports and swim programs in Kennedale through other facilities. The council retained full discretion on whether to consider any funding request on a future agenda.

Context and background: Tucker noted the association’s broader footprint — the Arlington–Mansfield Area YMCA has served portions of the region since 1958 — and described a multi‑phase approach used elsewhere, where a small satellite operation precedes a larger branch build‑out. Tucker described the YMCA model as self‑supporting in operations once a facility is open and said local fundraising and national YMCA resources help fund scholarships and programming.

What the YMCA asked the city to consider: The association asked the council to consider a public contribution of $775,000 to keep resident rates low and to help underwrite the build‑out and equipment, while the YMCA would provide about $500,000 in equipment and initial funds and operate the facility.

Reporting note: Figures above (square footage, contribution amounts, membership and visit projections, equipment cost ranges and sample rate amounts) are drawn from the YMCA presentation and council Q&A at the Aug. 5, 2025 Kennedale City Council special budget meeting and were stated by Eric Tucker or raised by council members during the public presentation. The council did not take action on the YMCA request at the Aug. 5 meeting.