Over the years
The following decade was characterized at the Sociedad Bilbaína by its vibrant social and cultural life, supported by the economic recovery of the city. A good reflection of this is the library, which approached 40,000 volumes, and in 1955 established its Vascongada Section, inaugurated by the then Minister of Education.
In the 1960s, the fiftieth anniversary of the building that houses the Sociedad Bilbaína, presided over by Mr. Enrique Guzmán, included several events: a concert (January 15, 1963), a banquet similar to the one held at the building's inauguration (January 25), and a dinner-dance (January 26).
On October 1, 1970, at an extraordinary general meeting, it was decided to initiate actions to establish a country club in Munguía. The idea had previously been consulted with the members and received overwhelming support. In early 1971, a competition for ideas was announced. Nineteen designs were submitted, and the winning design was by Soldevilla and Rodríguez. In December 1972, Robert Putman presented a project to create a golf course. On December 28 of the same year, the Munguía City Council gave the green light to the initiative.
Construction began on June 23, 1973, and was completed in two years. Thus, the new country club was inaugurated in June 1975.
The country club spanned 250 hectares and featured 21 kilometers of roads, 750 buildable plots ranging from 700 to 4,000 square meters, a magnificent social building, a reservoir with a capacity of 380,000 cubic meters, and an 18-hole golf course covering 120 hectares with over 20 kilometers of irrigation channels.
The inaugural events took place from June 21 to 30, 1975, marking the end of the term of Mr. José Jesús del Arenal, one of the great presidents of the Sociedad Bilbaína. Arenal led the club for six years and left the institution with over 3,000 members and an exceptional heritage.
Unfortunately, the changing times were not long in coming, and the country soon felt the effects of the global economic recession caused by the energy crisis. These circumstances were further exacerbated by the political transition from a dictatorial regime to a democratic and parliamentary monarchy, with the new constitutional and territorial autonomy structure.
While, as Basas notes, this change “was not tumultuous on a national scale,” it was in the Basque Country. The terrorist phenomenon expanded, socio-political tension increased, and social cohesion deteriorated. Therefore, the task undertaken by the three presidents who succeeded Arenal was far from easy.
In January 1978, Mr. Juan Torres Mugarza took over the management. Mugarza, a person with great human and professional qualities, continued the tradition of excellent administrators at the Sociedad Bilbaína.
Returning to the historical context, the 1980s began with the ongoing economic crisis and social tension. Additionally, the Sociedad Bilbaína faced a constant decline in membership and the devastating flood of 1983.
On the tragic night of August 26 to 27, 1983, a cold drop weather phenomenon brought over 600 liters of rain per square meter in just a few hours. This immense amount of water flowed into rivers, causing them to overflow and cover the valley floors with several meters of water.
The effects of the Nervión River’s flood in Bilbao were devastating. In the Casco Viejo, the water level reached the first floors of buildings. On the other side, which did not flood due to its elevation, the damage was also catastrophic. The Sociedad Bilbaína suffered damage in the basements, the cellar, and on the ground floor, where mud accumulated in the reception area and English bar.
Repair work, which continued until 1985, began immediately. In 1984, the restoration of the façade was added to the work—a costly project that had been pending for a long time but was not completed.
All of this was part of the prelude to the 150th anniversary of the Sociedad Bilbaína. The celebrations took place between March and June 1989. Among the numerous events that made up the extensive and varied program, notable highlights include: the concert on April 28; the International Billiards Tournament; the performance by the Stuttgart State Orchestra; the Pelota Festival; the gala dinner on June 9; the concert by the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra on the 19th; and the two dinner-dances held in the same month.
After such memorable events, the Sociedad Bilbaína resumed its activities. However, these events are no longer history but news. This long decade has seen everything: great satisfaction and moments of pain. Perhaps the greatest of the latter was the brutal attack on the Sociedad Bilbaína on August 18, 1991. An inexplicable event that disrupted a continuity of over 150 years.
