Bridge Climb set to become a spectacle

Will we be seeing some new creative endeavours atop our most famous landmark – the Sydney Harbour Bridge? It’s a spectacular vista – 134 meters above Sydney Harbour – and after several weekends of maintenance, Sydney’s premier tourist attraction has announced another facelift: a new Managing Director, direct from his artistic endeavours across the quay.

Current CEO of the Sydney Opera House, Richard Evans, has been appointed as the new Managing Director of the famous BridgeClimb, winner of the 2007 Australian Tourism Award for Best Major Attraction.

Previously Executive Director of the Australian Ballet and General Manager of The Bell Shakespeare Company, Evans comes to the job with a multitude of skills in creative thought and leadership. He has initiated a diverse range of events at the Sydney Opera House, which have brought entirely new audiences to its seven venues.

Paul Cave, the Chairman and Founder of BridgeClimb, said,

“I am delighted that we have acquired Richard’s creative skills and expertise, and know that he will further grow, invigorate and enhance the BridgeClimb experiential business.”

An undisputed tourism assest of Sydney and Australia, BridgeClimb is considered a ‘must-do’ attraction in Sydney. Over 2.75 million people from over 137 countries having climbed the Bridge since it opened to the public in 1998, and Evans is thrilled to be working with this iconic business.

Richard Evans said “I am delighted to be taking on this new creative challenge as we work together to take BridgeClimb to the next phase in its development. My past experience in expanding and developing large arts and tourism enterprises has prepared me well for the challenge ahead.”

A press release yesterday suggested that under Evans’ leadership, BridgeClimb will be injected with some “creativity and innovation into its further evolution”.

Could this go as far as performances, installations, poetry readings (“Sonnets on the Summit” has a certain ring to it!) or other artistic endeavours atop the famous curve of the Sydney Harbour Bridge? After all, as Founder Paul Cave said, BridgeClimb is an “experiential business”…

Richard Evans replaces Todd Coates who vacated the position in October 2011.