Rotary House Taupo 3.44

A BRIEF HISTORY OF ROTARY HOUSE.

As early as July 1971, a group of 48 Senior Citizens gathered weekly in St Paul’s Church Hall to play indoor bowls and cards. The next move was to a building on the AC Baths Reserve when the membership climbed to 90. However, the membership kept increasing so the hall became too small and it was too far from the town centre.
A site looked at was where Pak”N”Save now stands but the Club could not have had the site permanently because of the growth of the town. A deputation from the Club went to the Borough Council on 8th October 1973 to make a submission explaining why they wanted to move to town. Their plans included, a library/art gallery, a room for films, lectures and small conferences, plus an auditorium to seat 1000 as well as a lounge for cards and a hall for bowls.
The Golden Kiwi Grants declined to fund an art gallery and an auditorium because the were not for “aged persons”.
By the end of 1974, the Club had found some land which the Council was happy to lease for a building and a grant came through from Golden Kiwi which was added to the proceeds from the sale of their building in the AC Baths Reserve.
The building was designed by Ross Davies of Taupo Plan Service and the contract for $69,054 was let to Jim Haimes who was a member of Kiwanis. The building was finally opened on 20th September 1975 by the J W Ridley MP for Taupo and W A Hasler who was the Club President.
The building consists of a lounge, fully equipped kitchen and toilets off a large entrance foyer. Double glass doors lead into a large hall containing a double storage room, large office, stage and billiards room and window seating on both sides of the hall with copious storage space.
The Club rooms have served the Senior Citizens Club and the community well with their adaptability. The building is very versatile and has been used for many public meetings, wedding receptions, balls, family reunions, government hearings and regularly as a polling station. Other clubs still hold their meetings in the hall and/or lounge according to the amount of space required.
The membership of the Senior Citizens’ Association has declined in recent years so the building was becoming a burden for the remaining members as they became frailer. The club members decided to disband in 2013 and offered the premises to the Rotary Club of Taupo which had been meeting in the lounge since 2005.

On 3rd June 2013, the keys were handed over to President Jeff Marshall of the Rotary Club of Taupo and a new era began with a change of name to Rotary House. The buildings are still available to the public and local groups meet on a weekly or monthly basis including the Floral Art and Garden Club, Grey Power, Indoor Bowls, Aupair Link, interspersed with public meetings and family functions.