In the north side of the city, where we now have Herastrau Park, an old swampy field, resulted from a land clearing of the old Codru al Vlasiei. In an audience at the capital’s mayor, Dem. I. Dobrescu, we have colonel Greble E.St. Junior and Alexandru Marghiloman. We’re in the month of March 1922, the seventh day.
- I don’t have money, I have too much work to do, the mayor is complaining. The two guests smile because they have heard of the mayor’s constructive impulses, also known commonly as “mayor pickax” because of the numerous demolition and construction projects that he started in Bucharest.
- We have come here to help you, to give you, not take away from you…
19th of April 1922, at the center “Jockey-club” in Bucharest, the “Circle of sports Baneasa Country-club” is being constituted with 145 members: 143 persons and 2 juridical personalities. “Jockey-club” and “Automobile club”. Each founding member payed a registration fee of 4.000 lei and an annual membership fee of 2.000 lei. “Jockey-club” came with a capital of 500.000 lei, while “Automobile club” came with a capital of 200.000 lei. Between the founding members there were illustrious personalities like: Alexandru Marghiloman, Prince Ghica, Barbu Catargiu, the Principe Barbu Stirbey, Negroponte etc. In the 16th article of the Association Status, chapter “Transitional Provisions”, it’s clearly written: “The following founders, we are giving our full approval to the convention signed between the Capital Townhouse and D.D.Al.Marghiloman and colonel Greble, each representing the groups that took the initiative”. What was the convention with the townhouse? The Association “Circle of sports Baneasa” would receive from the townhouse 15 ha to make “golf fields, polo on the grass, tennis, swimming, rowing, obstacle course, pigeon shooting ranges etc.” provided that they improve the rest of the “National Park” (present Herastrau Park), so more than 30 ha, on the association’s expenses.
People from today, that are taking long strolls in Herastrau, should know that the park was effectively built by the “Circle of sports Baneasa – Country Club”, the present Bucharest Diplomatic Club. On the members’ expense 22.000 trees have been planted, 6 km of alleys have been built, grass and flowers have been planted, the lake has been cleaned, the shores have been consolidated.
And all of this without the Association having been legally constituted. It was functioning through the good understanding of its members, it had governing bodies, a budget, accountancy and a general gathering, but it wasn’t registered in court, so it wasn’t legalized.
Even the opposition press of the epoch noticed that based on the number of “thin cheeks” that entered the Association, it was hard to imagine that “serious disapprovals” could come to this “Example of public devotion”. Here are just a couple of the “thin cheeks” founding members: Max Ausschmidt, C. Argetoianu, general Anderson, Basarab Brancoveanu, Principe Jean Calimache, D. Chrissoveloni, Principe Catacuzin, Barbu Catargiu, Principe A.D. Ghica, G. Negroponte, E. Ottulescu, M. Prager, Principe Barbu Stirbey, Baron Starcea and many others.
The Association had so much prestige, that the Capital Townhouse approves through the Autorization nr.14 from the 25th of May 1925, the building of a “pavilion for sports necessities”. This is the actual Club house and restaurant, restored after the earthquake in 1977. In 1977, the sports base of the Club has improved with new tennis fields and a pool.
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