The City That Almost Was # 4 (South Waikato) Traditional Cache

Tokoroa or more affectional known by locals as "Toke" is the fifth-largest town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand and largest settlement in the South Waikato district. Located 30 km southwest of Rotorua, close to the foot of the Mamaku Ranges, it is mid-way between Taupo and Hamilton on State Highway One.

The economic lifeblood of Tokoroa is forestry, centred on the nearby Carter Holt Harvey Kinleith Mill; and dairy farming. In 1995, Fonterra built the southern hemisphere's largest cheese factory in Lichfield,[6] some 5 km north of the town. Recently, due to an increase in dairy prices, large amounts of previously forested land are being converted into farmland.

Tokoroa is the city that almost was. In golden days, she went ding!ding!ding! like straight cherries on a slot machine, hijacked on the final row by a rogue dollar sign. She was 2000 people away from becoming a city in the 1980s, when the Kinleith Mill hired people to do what machines were about to do.

This park takes its name from the Strathmore District in Scotland and was named by Scottish-born, Sir David Henry.

In 1971 the Tokoroa Parks and Reserves Committee agreed to recommend to the County Borough Council that an offer from NZ Forest Products Limited to sell the land adjacent to Strathmore Park be accepted. The company had asked $18,000 for the 18 acres inclusive of buildings (South Waikato News 1971). This was to be the site of Strathmore Park. The park takes its name from the Strathmore District in Scotland and was named by Scottish-born, Sir David Henry.

The Tokoroa Amateur Radio Club was situated adjacent to the railway tracks on the reserve for some time in an old concrete building. Because of the high level of vandalism it attracted, in 1988 the Club relocated to Ireland Reserve on Baird Road.  The former Radio Clubrooms were demolished in 1995.

From 1995 to 2002 the South Waikato District Council promoted the relocation of the Football Association to the Tokoroa Memorial Sportsground.  However due to the renewed level of interest in soccer and the subsequent increase in the use of the park, this proposal was abandoned.

In 2007 the existing timber post and wire fence along the Balmoral Drive frontage of Strathmore Park was replaced.  This new fence includes a pedestrian access at the western end to improve public access to the park. At the same time, Council removed and pruned some of the trees to improve the views into and out of the park.

A residential subdivision is planned for the area adjacent to the park to the west.  The park will become a little more hemmed in but will also attract more informal use.  The entrance road to the soccer club building will be shared with the entrance to the subdivision.