For Immediate Release
May 27, 2011
Major Announcements Coincide with Bridge’s 74th Birthday
- 75th Anniversary Committee Chairs Named: Larry Baer and Nancy Bechtle
- Design for 75th Anniversary Visitor Pavilion Unveiled
- Call for Community Partners for 75 Bridge Tributes Program
- 75th Logo and Website Revealed
- Parks Conservancy PowerPoint Presentation
Friday May 27, 2011, marks the 74th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge and the official launch of the 75th anniversary year-long program that will culminate May 27, 2012, for this engineering marvel. The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (GGBHTD) and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy (Parks Conservancy), in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS) and the Presidio Trust, are working collaboratively to develop a number of 75th anniversary programs and events to honor the iconic landmark. The Bridge is a national landmark surrounded by the national parklands of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
At the regularly scheduled GGBHTD Board of Directors meeting at 10 am, May 27, the following announcements are planned:
75th Anniversary Steering Committee Co-Chairs Announced
Two fourth-generation San Franciscans, Larry Baer and Nancy Bechtle, will serve as co-chairs of the Golden Gate Bridge 75th anniversary steering committee, established by the Parks Conservancy. As co-chairs, Baer and Bechtle will lead efforts to engage the Bay Area community in supporting the anniversary celebration. A limited partner of the San Francisco Giants’ ownership group, Baer was named team president and chief operating officer in 2008 after having served as the team’s executive vice president since 1992. Under his direction, the Giants enjoyed their finest hour in 2010 when they won the World Series for the first time since the team moved to San Francisco in 1958. The San Francisco Lowell High School graduate was the driving force behind every phase of the development of AT&T and has gained a national reputation as one of professional sports’ leading visionaries. Nancy Hellman Bechtle is the current chair of the Presidio Trust board, is also on the board of directors for the Charles Schwab Corporation, the chairman of the board for the Sugar Bowl Corporation, and served as former vice chair of the National Park Foundation.
75th Anniversary Visitor Pavilion Design Up for Approval
Plans to transform this international gateway into an improved visitor destination befitting its historic significance and value to the community will be unveiled for the first time (click here for an aerial view of the visitor enhancements). The GGBHTD Board will approve the design of the new 75th Anniversary Pavilion (click here to see the conceptual design) to welcome visitors to the Golden Gate Bridge (to be located on the south east side). The Pavilion will provide visitor information, interpretive exhibits, and a wide assortment of newly created commemorative and interpretive sales items. Additional visitor enhancements include parking improvements, restoring historic vistas, adding overlooks, and restoring trails.
Call for Community Partners
A call for nonprofit, community-based organizations and public agencies to join in honoring the Bridge, through the selection of a series of 75 tributes, has been issued. The 75 tributes are envisioned as means to engage the region’s civic, cultural, and educational organizations that are interested in developing their own programs and events to honor the Bridge or the message of bridging--bridging cultures, communities, ecosystems, languages, and more. Organizations are encouraged to submit their ideas for possible programs, including exhibits, lectures, performances, contests, tours, and other activities. Proposals to be considered for selection as one of the official 75 tributes are due by June 20. The details are available at www.goldengatebridge75.org.
Sharing Your Bridge Stories: 75th Website Launched
www.goldengatebridge75.org is the online portal for all things 75th! From information about 75th anniversary programs and events to sharing your favorite stories about Bridge, the website is the place to follow along as the events and programs evolve over the coming months. The website will provide the platform to bring the 75th Anniversary to millions of households around the world.
And the 75th Logo Revealed:
Watch for an 8-foot large version of this logo that will be unveiled at the Bridge plaza immediately following the GGBHTD meeting on May 27. (Please note: this is a trademarked/registered mark that may only be used with permission).
Celebrating Our Bridge: Golden Gate Festival, May 27, 2012
A spectacular festival is being planned for the 2012 Memorial Day weekend to celebrate the official 75th anniversary of the Bridge. Recalling the historic “Golden Gate Bridge Fiesta” at Crissy Field when the Bridge first opened in 1937, the event will tell the story of the Bridge and provide an opportunity for the Bay Area community to celebrate together. Details are under development now.
The 75th Celebration Starts this Summer!
This summer, the Marin County Fair, from June 30 to July 4, 2011, will be themed around the 75th Anniversary celebration. Golden Gate Bridge also will have a 75th Anniversary celebration presence at the following events:
- Del Norte County Fair, August 4 to 7, 2011
- Napa Town and County Fair, August 10 to 14, 2011
- Mendocino County Fair, September 16 to 18, 2011
- Sonoma County Fair, July 27 to August 14, 2011
Media Contacts
Mary Currie, Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, 415-317-2222 (cell)
Veda Banerjee, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, 415-999-8332 (cell)
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About the Golden Gate Bridge 75th Anniversary
The 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge is a project of the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy in collaboration with the National Park Service and The Presidio Trust. The year-long celebration and visitor services improvements are funded by private contributions, with major underwriting provided by Wells Fargo, Genentech, HP, and Kaiser Permanente. Anniversary events include The Golden Gate Festival along the San Francisco waterfront on May 27, 2012; 75 Tributes to the Bridge, a year-long series of public programs presented throughout the Bay Area; renovation of the historic Round House and construction of a new visitor Pavilion; and enhancements to the Bridge Plaza and Golden Gate National Recreation Area parklands on both sides of the span. For additional information and all public inquiries, please visit www.goldengatebridge75.org.
About the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
The Parks Conservancy is the nonprofit membership organization created to preserve the Golden Gate National Parks, enhance the experiences of park visitors, and build a community dedicated to conserving the parks for the future. The Conservancy is an authorized “cooperating association” of the National Park Service, and is one of more than 70 such nonprofit organizations working with national parks around the country. To learn more, please visit www.parksconservancy.org or call (415) 561-3000.
About the National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior charged with managing the preservation and public use of America’s most significant natural, scenic, historic, and cultural treasures. The NPS manages the Golden Gate National Parks, as well as 394 other park sites across the U.S. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/goga or call (415) 561-4700.
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