City Commons Club: Your Passport To
A World of Rich And Stimulating Ideas!
City Commons Club of Berkeley meets every Friday from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to promote the lively discussion of topics of interest to San Francisco Bay area residents. The Club does not meet in July & August or on a few holidays.
Many members gather in the second floor bar at about 11:15 a.m., just before lunch, for a cash bar cocktail social session. It's a great opportunity to make new friends, discuss hot news topics, etc.
The weekly buffet luncheon begins at 11:50. The guest speaker is introduced at 12:30, and the program includes a lively question-and-answer session. The meeting is adjourned promptly at 1:30 p.m.
Topics include science, politics, economics, world affairs, social sciences, medicine and health care, natural history and conservation, music and art, travel, and a wide range of other subjects.
A Brief History
In 1910--102 years ago--a group of concerned Berkeley citizens formed The City Club. Several of them were UC-Berkeley professors. Their goal was to help the City of Berkeley formulate policies to solve some of the city's serious problems. These included a need to develop a reliable water system, and to create a program to control mosquitos and flies which were especially bad because of horse manure on city streets..
In 1922 another organization, The Public Spirit Club, was founded in Berkeley. On March 13, 1925, The Public Spirit Club adopted the name Commons Club. It subsequently merged with The City Club and became The City Commons Club of Berkeley.
In 1981 The City Commons Club was incorporated as a non-profit public benefit corporation and the IRS granted the Club its tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code.
Membership is open to everyone who enjoys learning about topics of interest to the community at the Club's Friday luncheons.
City Commons Club meets in the historic Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Avenue, Berkeley, CA. The building was designed by Julia Morgan, a member of Berkeley City Club. She also designed the Hearst Castle and many other California buildings.
