Waipa Workingmens Club Inc. - Te Awamutu

A brief history of how the Waipa Workingmen’s Club was formed

First discussed in the Ohaupo Hotel (now Windy Ridge) the formation of a working mens club was left to Gordon Batt who brought up the idea in the old horseshoe bar of the commercial hotel one Friday night. Present at the time were Terry Bennett, Colin Morris, Tracey Sklenars, Sandy McDonald, Bill Butler and Gordon Batt.

After some discussion it was decided to put an advert in the Courier calling for interested parties to form a Workingmen’s Club in Te Awamutu.

Thus the inaugural meeting was held in the old band rooms(now the woolshed theatre).

Over the next few months several meeting were held to settle ways of finance. Debentures were taken out by those who could afford them ($10-$20-$50 etc) with Waikato breweries and the Bank of NSW backing us a section of land was bought on Park Road.

On this section was an old blue painted house our 1st clubrooms.

With plans drawn and a builder engaged (Jack Russel Ltd) our new club rooms were soon starting to appear.

The Waipa Workingmen’s Club Inc. was incorporated under the incorporated societies Act 1908 on the 4th day of March 1969.