The splendour from Valea Morilor park

EVOLUTION // The former Central Park of Culture and Leisure of the „Leninist Komsomol”, now called „Valea Morilor” Park, „flourishes” seeing with the eyes. „Valea Morilor” Park is drawing on an area of about 114 hectares, of which 34 hectares are occupied by the lake on the territory. This like is surrounded by an alley in a ring form with a length of 2,5 kilometre, on the edge of which are placed modern lanterns. During the night, they give the park a special charm, and the light reflected in the water fills the alley with mystery.

Brezhnev's command The park was built in 1950 at the initiative of Leonid Brezhnev. In the years 1951-1952, young Komsomolists dug the pit of the actual pond, which later was filled with the water of the spring from Durleşti. The water from the lake was very clean, and a large part of the people of Chisinau came here to bathe and fish. Nearby the central entrance of one part of the lake, it is a special apparatus which clean the lake of silt and garbage. Several swans once swam on this lake, the first - a white and a black swan - was Brezhnev's gift from Chisinau, offered in 1952, before his departure for Moscow. On the lake, in direction of the Cercle, opposite of counterclockwise, kayaks and canoes floated. Athletes were running in the same direction, and the lake looked like a mechanical clock. In the 1970s, small trams with wagons circulated the lake.

Cinema and chess rooms At the entrance in the park, from Serghei Lazo, one day was a pavilion where was rented children's bicycles, small pedal cars and merry-to-go. Of course, were two pavilions with a common entrance, but with two doors inside. To the right was the chess and checkers pavilion, and to the left was a small hall with children's swings. Behind the hall were arranged a few billiard tables, separated by a simple curtain. There were a cinema and a bar. It is saying that the springs in the lake often saved the inhabitants of the city, especially when the chemical plants were damaged and harmful substances entered the aqueduct of the city. Following several works, archaeologists have discovered skeletons of mastodons in the lake, and according to expert estimates, these animals lived here about 5 or 11 million years ago. Restaurant in the middle of the lake In 1953, after Stalin's death, Brezhnev decided to bring more boats to the lake in the park. One evening the architect Maltev was called, and by the next morning, the boat station project was ready. Behind the boat station, according to the same project, at the end of the ‘50s on the water was built the restaurant" Pescăruş ", which was then transferred to the shore. In the 1970s, however, it burned, and people said someone set fire to the restaurant. A billiard room was also intentionally lit. It is said that she was set on fire by the wives of the men who played and lost the last money in the house.

Artesian fountain musical From Alexei Mateevici Street, the park had two official entrances with stairs down to the lake. One of them, the waterfall staircase, was equipped with fish pools, water fountains, multicoloured lights and a circular pergola with columns. As shown in history, a marching band played in it and there were street shops selling biscuits, lemonade in paper cups and ice cream, it is noted on the website ecology.md. Along the stairs with lands arranged in parts, the alleys branched off, winding down the entire descent. In front of the waterfall stairs, on the right, was a summer cinema, a simple tent-shaped construction, covered with canvas. On the opposite side of the stairs was a round building, which was a remote control point for the music fountain. In the 1980s, it was supposed to be the public's favourite place, but it worked for a very short time. It is said that the first song that resounded was a waltz by Johann Strauss, and in 1972, Vladimir Vishotsky sang at the Summer Theater.

Repair capital If for several years in a row the stairs with waterfall and the roundabout of its management station were in a deplorable condition, in 2015 the restoration and arrangement works began. During the project, the stairs leading to the park and the roundabout will be rebuilt. At the base will be a structure of increased strength, which will ensure a much longer service life of the lens. A new decorative element will be aquatic lighting. The park restoration project was carried out by the Municipal Institute „Chisinau-Project” and was approved by the Ministry of Culture. A term of 1.5 years has been set for the execution of the works, and the value of the project is 12 million lei, money allocated from the municipal budget. Dance and sports Currently, in the park we can see young people walking, children playing, people coming to fish or athletes running, but once, on the territory of the park there were two dance fields, and the park with lake served as a base. for various water sports. There were three rowing schools in the park. Sports fields and fishing grounds for amateurs have been arranged. During the winter, an urban ice rink was organized on the ice. There was also a parachute jumping tower, the instructors were employed here and there was a special skydiving section.

The rose garden The first trees in the park include Canadian poplar and pyramidal poplar, wild chestnut, several species of acacia and maple, white willow, linden, ash, catalpa, black pine and Japanese Sophora. In the park, there was a large rose garden and a palmetto garden - a type of small tree, the branches of which took shape according to the gardener's wishes. There was also a Moldavian mansion with the Great House and other traditional objects that were part of the exhibits of the national economy exhibition. Ion Ștefăniță, director of the Agency for Inspection and Restoration of Monuments in the Republic of Moldova: „I am satisfied with the works from „Valea Morilor”. I have no objection, even if a few trees have been cut down, even if it goes to total reconstruction. The project must be appreciated and I hope there will be continuity”. The article was written by Daniela Hadei for Ziarul Național and published on 26.07.2015.