Tennis Courts and Lawn Bowling

Another very popular activity was lawn bowling. On a specially prepared surface of very short grass, competitors rolled small, weighted balls. Summer residents organized leagues and tournaments. 

Billie Rawlinson contributed this information about organizing lawn bowling for ladies at Waskesiu. Waskesiu Memories Volume II, edited by Dorell Taylor.

“I knew there were many others like myself who lived at the lake all summer and had kids, so would enjoy getting away from them for a while and meeting other women to have some conversation and fun. 

We were not golfers, as we would have to be away all day and just didn’t have the time and energy for that sport. …ladies interested in the idea should come down to the tennis club-house Tuesday morning at ten o’clock. We thought we would bowl until noon and then have a coffee and a piece of pie in the clubhouse. We’d be finished in time to go home, feed the kids, and later on head for the beach for the afternoon. 

We had a good turnout and all of us enjoyed it so much that we met again Thursday morning, the year would be 1961. From then on it was twice a week in our shorts and bare feet and big hats.” 

"I remember one day on the bowling greens when I was dressed in shorts and a bra top, which was fastened in the back with a button. I was delivering my ball with a nice long stretch when the button on my top popped off and my top flew out about four feet in front of me onto the grass. I was partially naked for a second or two but I stepped forward, picked up my top, held it to my chest and ran for the clubhouse." 

She noted that the other players were looking at her ball and never noticed her predicament. The situation was fixed by a large safety pin from Mrs. Codling who, along with her husband, ran an excellent tea house in the Clubhouse.