Ohinemuri Regional History Journal 45, September 2001
About eighty people attended the official opening of the Waihi Croquet Club's new rooms on Saturday 20 January 2001. Former Mayor and club patron, Owen Morgan gave a brief history of the club stating that the land had been originally purchased by the Council for a bowling green. The Waihi Bowling Club started in 1905. The original building, thought to have been about one hundred years old, was believed to have been shifted from either Golden Cross or Karangahake when the mines closed. It was used by the Bowling Club until 1956.
The game of croquet was introduced to Waihi in the early 1900s as an occupation for the wives of the mine managers and mining personnel, most of whom were from England. There were a number of private croquet lawns around Waihi which continued to be used for sometime after the formation of the croquet club in 1911.
After being housed in other buildings, the club moved into part of the original building in 1958.
Spokesperson Carol Woodd stated that it had taken three and a half years to fundraise for the new pavilion, which is almost twice the size of the old one. Many groups had helped including the Lottery Grants Board, Valda Trust, Trust Waikato, Waihi pub charities, Waihi Gold-mining Company and the Hauraki District Council. Much of the work was also done voluntarily by club members. The building has been designed to resemble the old building, with the addition of a verandah. False surrounds and sills have been put on the aluminium window frames to retain the original appearance.
The opening ceremony included the cutting of two ribbons, one by longest serving member, Joan Lambert, and the other by Hauraki District Mayor, Basil Morrison.