2023
RECREATION
WHERE WE PLAY
IN STEPHENS COUNTY
SIMMONS CENTER
The Simmons Center is a major attraction for Duncan with 9,000 members . The 105,000 square foot recreation center has a 25-meter indoor swimming pool , an elevated jogging track and two full-sized gymnasiums for basketball , tennis and volleyball . The Simmons Center also features racquetball courts , a weight room and game room with table tennis and video games . Members can stay in shape by attending a variety of regularly scheduled fitness classes .
Along with their regular classes , the Simmons Center is also host to the Bison Aquatic Club , which allows students from all over the area to compete in USA swimming .
The Simmons Center also has a 750-seat theatre for lectures , musicals , concerts and film festivals .
Outdoors sits the newly reconstructed Centennial Park that is free to the public . Beside Centennial Park is also the Halliburton Plaza , a stop along the way of the Heritage Trails .
GOLF
In Stephens County , golf lovers can hit the fairway on several excellent courses throughout the county . Our selection of golf courses includes The Territory Golf Course , which Golf Digest named as one of the top 10 courses in Oklahoma , The Duncan Golf and Tennis Club , Generations Golf Course , Twin Oaks Golf Course , City of Comanche Golf Course and Wildhorse Golf Course .
THE HERITAGE TRAILS
The Heritage Trails project has been underway since 2010 after a 2007 dream was realized and set forth in Duncan in an effort to provide citizens with a three-mile-long trail that will not only connect certain parts of the city but also provide an educational journey .
The trails connect parks and community fixtures such as the Simmons Center , Duncan Regional Hospital , Duncan Public Schools and the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center .
An official ceremony for the unveiling of the first plaza along the Heritage Trails took place Friday , Nov . 8 , 2019 , when the Halliburton Plaza , beside the Simmons Center and Centennial Park , was revealed .
It takes a number of entities in a project this size to make it happen and a variety of representatives take up place on the Heritage Trails Coalition , representing City of Duncan , Simmons Center , Duncan Regional Hospital , the Duncan Chamber of Commerce , Chisholm Trail Heritage Center , Duncan Public Schools , Cameron University , Halliburton , and many other individuals who are community minded .
The Heritage Trails also aims to attract visitors to the area while telling our history — a rich history — in Stephens County that ’ s comprised of The Five C ’ s — Crude , Cotton , Cattle , Chickasaws and Crapemyrtles . Each segment of The Five C ’ s will be featured on plaques along the trails , telling the stories of our culture .
As the project continues , The Heritage Trails Coalition also continues seeking donors .
PARKS
The city of Duncan has a dozen parks with a variety of amenities . There are also parks in Comanche , Marlow and Velma .
For outdoor sports , Abe Raizen Park has a baseball and soccer field and playground , while Hillcrest Park has a baseball field , tennis court , playground and splash pad . The new Ron Burton Rotary Park now features four sets of musical play set activities . Memorial Park , which honors past soldiers with war memorials , also has tennis courts .
Fuqua Park offers the 905 museum , a train exhibit and historic Kiddieland ; where children can ride the train , carousel , airplanes and more . It also has a pool , a playground , swings , a gazebo and a picnic area . The newest addition to Fuqua Park includes the Circle of Love , a project created by Duncan Enhancement Trust Authority ( DETA ) under the nonprofit entity Color Duncan Beautiful .
The Circle of Love project , aimed to create a community gathering point , is a 35 foot diameter circle built from pavers with a granite heart and circle in the middle . The feature includes a seating wall on one side and a wooden pergola on the other and serves as a place community members can host weddings , vow renewals , classes , yoga , Thai Chi , prayer groups , photoshoots and more . Special events can be scheduled through the Stephens County Historical Museum , otherwise
18 FYI | 2023