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  • Simmons Center’s appearance has been freshened up with landscaping, including a variety of crapemyrtles. joshua kellogg/the duncan banner

    Simmons Center’s appearance has been freshened up with landscaping, including a variety of crapemyrtles.
July 18, 2012

Simmons Center spruces up yard with landscaping

Mike Smith The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — Directors of the Simmons Center hope to someday expand the recreation building so there is more space and equipment for cardio and weight workouts and a new studio for activities such as karate and yoga.

 But that could be several years away from reality and likely would require a fundraising campaign to pay for it.

 For now, there’s an effort under way to spruce up the grounds surrounding the entire center — to make them prettier, more colorful, more inviting. Some landscaping has been completed, but there’s more to come, including a back courtyard that could be a great venue for outdoor weddings.

 Making the outside more attractive could entice more folks to come inside for meetings, conferences, special events and fitness.

“We have done a lot of upkeep to the building and capital improvements, but we haven’t done a lot on the outside,” said Junior Harris, the center’s executive director.

“This will make it more appealing.”

 If anything else, it is adding more class to what many already consider a classy facility.

“We are trying to update the look and feel of the Simmons Center,” said Chuck Siess, who chairs the Board of Directors’ committee on facilities and maintenance.

The center began the effort last year, when a group of students from Oklahoma State University’s horticulture department came to town and drew up detailed landscaping suggestions, including sketches of how they would look.

The center paid about $1,600 in traveling expenses for the students, but Harris said it was well worth it.

It gave center officials and local businesses taking part in the effort a detailed plan.

“We got a huge bang for the buck,” Harris said.

The work is being done in five phases.

The first phase has been completed and included various bushes and other plants around the Simmons Center signs and medians at the driving entrance ways.

A wall of large stones was built around the digital marquee, with flowers and plants at the base.

Phase two — flowers and plants by the walking entrances into the buildings — is under way now. Phase three will be pods of different plants in the spacious lawn areas between Chisholm Trail Parkway and the parking lots.

 Phase four will include moving the flag pole, which flies the U.S. and Oklahoma flags, closer to the center, and there will be a flower bed around it.

 The fifth and final phase entails the courtyard area behind the center. Trees will line each  side of the courtyard, with a gazebo in front and seating – including some covered, swing-like chairs – facing the gazebo.

Part of the courtyard grounds will be stamped concrete, which gives a high-end look to stone, so people can walk and sit without being on the grass.

Harris said he did not have an overall dollar figure for the work, since some initial plans have been altered and other changes could be made.

Local nurseries, for example, have been unable to provide some types of plants included in the initial plans. Grassroots Landscaping in Duncan is doing much of the work.

But Harris said most of the money for the project is coming from reserve funds and cash from recreation memberships and conference and event fees.

Phase two should be completed this year, with the other work being done over the next few years.

Although expanding the recreation center is on a wish list, Harris said the idea must be studied more before any plans get off the ground.

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