09/02/2026
I read an article on LinkedIn by Robert Hefner IV and he talked about his great-grandfather convincing voters in OKC to build a water supply in 1939 for a population that didn’t exist then. His great-grandfather had a Vision for how OKC was going to grow. Building Lake Hefner took a strong vision and determination to make something happen before there was the demand for it. And look at it now!
There is a big difference between seeing what Chickasha is and seeing what Chickasha can become…that difference is Vision! People with Vision see problems before they become problems. They recognize opportunities before everyone else sees them. They build infrastructure before it’s desperately needed. They plan for growth before it arrives.
And that isn’t always easy… In fact, sometimes the people with the biggest vision receive the most criticism because they are talking about things other people can’t see yet. Think about some of the things that have shaped Chickasha. Over 100 years ago, someone believed we should have a College for Women. Decades ago, our Community voted to increase property taxes to fund a Vo-Tech. Back in the 70’s, someone made a decision to build a new high school. At the State of Education this week, our Community heard about the future of all our educational institutions and the Vision for the future! Growth, growth and more growth!
Over 30 years ago, a group of people had to believe that Shannon Springs Park could become home to a nationally recognized Christmas Light Display. Just a few years ago, someone had to believe that a 50 Foot Leg Lamp would draw visitors year around from all over the world.
Those decisions didn’t just happen, someone had a Vision. As our Community grows, we have to ask questions that aren’t just about 2026. What will Chickasha need in 2030? How much will our population increase? Will we have the infrastructure necessary to support our growth. What will Downtown look like? So many questions…
So what decisions do we need to make TODAY to be ready for TOMORROW? Vision isn’t predicting the future perfectly, it is preparing for it intelligently. Sometimes we need to be willing to dream bigger. Leadership matters. When someone brings forward a new idea, our first response shouldn't always be, “Why would we do that?” Sometimes we should ask: “What could that become?”
Every great Community has people who see possibilities where others see obstacles. They look at an empty piece of land and see a neighborhood. They look at an undeveloped industrial site and see jobs. They look at an aging building and see a new business. They look at a park and see a destination. They look at their hometown and don't just see what it is today, they see what it can be tomorrow.
Chickasha has been fortunate to have people like that throughout our history. Our challenge is to make sure we continue encouraging them. Because the Chickasha of 2030 is being built right now. One decision. One investment. One idea. And one person with Vision at a time.
And that is definitely !
