Civic Pride
Public and private funding alike create a sense of community spirit and pride, easily seen in the many public parks, performance and sports centers, memorials, and holiday displays that enhance life in Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Goddard Center for the Visual and Performing Arts
The Goddard Center for the
Visual and Performing Arts stands today as a testimonial
to the dream of Ethel McClure Goddard, Ardmore educator
and librarian. Dedicated to the memory of her husband,
Charles B. Goddard, the Center provides Southern Oklahoma
with a vital cultural complex serving theatre, dance,
music and visual art.
The Goddard Trust set forth the administration of the Center, naming the
trustees of the Primary and Advisory Boards, whose continuing commitment is
tribute and dedication to her ideas.
Planned to provide a home for the arts in the community, Larry London and
Ethel Goddard collaborated to plan the design for the Center. Detailed and
rendered by Flood, Isenberg & Hann, the Center is constructed of concrete
sheathed in aggregate and brick.
Seven arched portals beckon the visitor to an entrance enchanted by verde
antique marble with a new sculpture garden. A spacious lobby provides access to the theatre, the
library/board room, volunteer and administrative offices and four art
galleries.
Memorial Square
In Memorial Square near downtown
Ardmore, Oklahoma The Oil Patch Warrior stands in silent
tribute to the energy industry and to the veterans who
fought for the American freedom we enjoy today.
This Ardmore, Oklahoma statue is a replica of a similar
statue dedicated in Great Britain in 1991.
During World War II, Noble Drilling Corporation – an Ardmore,
Oklahoma company – drilled for oil in Great Britain’s
Sherwood Forest in order to provide the Brits with a continuing
source of energy in the face of Germany’s attempt to cut
off oil imports.
The brick walkway through Memorial Square displays the name, rank armed
forces branch, and years of service of Ardmore area citizens who fought to
preserve our way of life.
An integral part of Memorial Square is the black granite wall listing the
names of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Noble Stadium
Football is big in Oklahoma.
And in Ardmore, civic pride is big as well. During the
late evening of a crisp, Ardmore autumn you can hear the
roar of 4,500 screaming Ardmore Tiger Football fans, cheering
their team to victory in the Noble Stadium.
A donation in excess of one million dollars from the Noble Foundation was
matched by other community members and businesses, and augmented with an
overwhelming 70% bond vote to build the stadium.
Noble Stadium features an 8-lane Latex running track encircling the football
field. The stadium is utilized by Ardmore students from 7th to 12th grade,
and hosts a number of regional sports events and meets.
The Ardmore Convention Center
The 45,000 sq. ft. convention
center was complete in the summer of 2004. For a city
the size of Ardmore, Oklahoma the convention center is
a remarkable achievement.
Recognizing the growth and expansion that can accompany
a convention center, the citizens of Ardmore, Oklahoma
turned concept from dream to reality – by passing a tourism
tax to fund its construction.
The Center is designed to serve the residents of Ardmore,
Oklahoma as well as attract new people, businesses, and
revenues to the town.
Ardmore Regional Park
Ardmore Regional Park is
the newest addition to our city park system. Here you
can find a lake, disc golf, a softball complex, hiking
and jogging paths, a skatepark, and playground
equipment for the young.
Each December, Regional Park is transformed into a winter wonderland called
the Festival of Lights. As with so many of Ardmore’s amenities, private
donations helped create the premier Christmas light display in Southern Oklahoma.
Dornick Hills Golf & Country Club
Listed in the National Historic
Registry, Ardmore’s popular Dornick Hills Golf & Country
Club is one of the oldest and most prestigious clubs in
Oklahoma. It boasts the first Oklahoman golf club affiliation
with the United States Golf Association, as well as being
the site of numerous tournaments including the Ardmore
Open, a PGA tour event, from 1952 to 1954. It is also
home to the clubs signature event "The Oilmen's"
since 1963, and the premier college event of the region
"The Maxwell" for over 10 years.
Dornick Hills was built in 1914 by Perry Maxwell on what was previously the Maxwell's dairy farm. This was the first golf course he designed and built. The renowned golf course architect went on to design and build over 70 courses including Southern Hills and Prairie Dunes, both in the top fifty courses in the world.