Croquet has long been associated with trust funds, v-neck sweaters and clenched jaws.
But St. Johns County officials are hopeful that a proposed new football-field sized facility in St. Augustine will make the traditionally blue-blood pursuit a bit more blue collar.
The project will include a croquet lawn with four fields, a shade structure, parking, and additional restrooms at the existing 2.3-acre park off Sunstone Court.
Officials will host a public meeting from 6 to 7 p.m. on April 29 at the Southeast Branch Library (6670 US 1 S., St. Augustine) to discuss plans for the Rock Springs Farms Park Croquet Fields and solicit feedback from the community.
Public Works Project Manager Darren Shannon, CIP Manager Jason McKay, Parks and Recreation Project Manager Timothy Conner, and Associate Landscape Architect Matthew Jurney with planning and design firm Kimley-Horn will attend the meeting to answer questions.
While the county eyes croquet’s future, the sport’s roots stretch deep into European history.
Croquet originated in 19th-century, likely evolving from the French game paille-maille, and was introduced to England from Ireland in the 1850s.
It quickly became popular among the British upper and middle classes, especially as a mixed-gender social activity. The All England Croquet Club was founded in 1868, helping formalize the sport.
Though its popularity declined with the rise of lawn tennis, croquet endured in various forms, including association croquet and golf croquet.
Today, it remains a niche sport with a global following and organized competitions supported by national and international bodies.
26 Responses
We need more pickle ball not croquet. I don’t know one person who places croquet.
Really? Have not played croquet in 50 years. As a kid the family had a set that was brought out for picnics. Have never witnessed a game. Better off with lawn bowling. Both will have little to no use. At best a very imaginative waste of funds. Build the pickleball courts and they will be in constant use.
I do not support this idea. Croquet is more an individual family sport. Monitoring and care of the property and supplies would be quite expensive.
I’m opposed
Sounds great!! I hope you will find the interest in enough to make it happen. I’ll play there with my family!
I feel desires for recreational facilities should emanate from the residents rather than the government. Inasmuch as outdoor activities are restricted nearly 1/2 of the year, can said St. John’s County officials demonstrate such a need for croquet courts? It would seem that an outdoor pool and facilities might make a better addition to the County so that youths who cannot make it to the beach can make it to a pool. I would encourage our elected officials to conduct interest surveys as to what the public wants rather than make a single suggestion with a hearing determining its viability.
Who the hell plays croquet except maybe at a backyard Bar-B-Q? Another waste of tax payer dollars.
So true
I think there’s a lot more people playing pickleball than croquet.
Croquet is a family game. Please don’t waste money on special fields. Make gardens/shrubbery green spaces if there is money to burn.
Not really that connected to what’s relevant
Croquet is truly a wonderful sport that is enjoyed by many people young and old. It is a great family sport with very little investment. I believe that this property will be very well used by the community.
The impact on the area will be significant in value. Croquet is typically not a spectator sport so there should be no concern about large crowds congregating in the space. This is the perfect plan to enable more residents to enjoy the beautiful space available in our part of Florida.
No, we have enough traffic and exposure.
I think there are more pickle ball players, also. They could make them multi-purpose for pickleball, croquet, corn hole, volleyball, badminton, and horseshoes. I have ideas for just how to do it, too.
I don’t see the need for the croquet area. Not many people play that anymore. If it involves tree removal, I am against it
A shooting range, golf range, or pickle ball makes more sense to me.
Would be so nice if that space could be created like in Jacksonville, South Beach Park and Sunshine Playground / recreation area building for all. There are so many children in St.Johns County. Would be so nice to have that instead of just Croquet fields.
You raised our taxes twice last year on the premises of improving, our schools given the gross mismanagement by the county. Now you are going to waste these new tax dollars on a croquet court. WTF.
Have ya’ll lost your ever loving minds? One thing for sure, you know how to waste our tax money, if we have an extra 2 million laying around that needs to be spent why not use it for our schools or hiring more policemen.
Doesn’t make sense with the sport not high in demand. It would make more sense to have a cricket field. Seems like a waste of usable space
Whatever St Johns County is smoking I need some of their stuff. This is the most asinine waste of taxpayers funds. A bikini car wash will have a better investment
I don’t think this is a great idea. I have not heard of any desire for a place like this within our community.
I think that it’s a lovely idea, but not practical. Most people have dogs and I think a park with a dog park area that’s large with walking paths. Areas for small concerts, etc.. make it as usable as possible for the people. Not a select few.
What a waste of our tax dollars! How many residents have been clamoring for this? Maybe a handful of Brits that moved here?
Read the room, we want less of the crap sandwiches you’ve been feeding us for years. You want a parade, lower our property and sales taxes. If you must spend – fix something. For Pete’s sake do something useful for everyone.
This is not a good use of time, labor, taxes, space, and SO MUCH MORE. DO NOT BUILD THIS dumb field.
The new sport of croquet is more than a family sport. Today, as many as 10,000 men and women play this elegant and exacting sport on more than 600 greens in the U.S. and Canada. It is time to make this sport more accessible and affordable to the public at-large in the St. Augustine area. It is a safe, healthy and fun sport.