Port Lavaca, Texas

2 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 Port Lavaca, TEXAS The next tropical destination T he City of Port Lavaca, Texas is a destination just waiting to be recognized. The tropical seaside community of 12,000 is nestled in the middle of Texas’ Gulf Coast boasting soaring views of the ocean, plentiful recreational and entertainment amenities, and a strong source of well-paying jobs. “We are looking forward to other people discovering what we already know,” says Port Lavaca City Manager, Jody Weaver. “We want it to be a destination place.” Port Lavaca sits atop a bluff overlooking Lavaca Bay, an arm of Matagorda Bay off the Gulf Coast. “It’s just beautiful,” says Jessica Carpenter, the city’s Director of Economic Development. “It takes you in very quickly. The bay is just beautiful. It’s a stunning location.” Visitors and residents alike can take in the scenery and a bit of history at Bayfront Peninsula Park, which offers a ship themed play structure representative of French Explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle’s ship La Belle, which first landed on the coast of this area in February 1685. The wreckage of La Belle lay forgotten until 1995 when it was discovered by a team of archaeologists in 1995. In addition to the play structure the park features a free-access splash pad, lighted fishing pier, boat ramp, and covered picnic areas. “You can come to town, take your kids and go fishing. You don’t have to have a boat and you don’t have to have a plan,” says Tania French, Port Lavaca’s Events Coordinator. “I’ve had people come into town for an event and realize what a great pier we have, so they go to Walmart and buy fishing poles and come back, buy bait from a local bait shop, and are Photo Courtesy of Phil Thomae