PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Oregon Marine board has approved a proposal allowing the city of Portland to move the Kevin Duckworth Memorial Dock to Swan Island.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation, which manages the dock, will now have to come up with a plan to relocate it. That plan will then need council approval.
The dock, a tribute to the former Trail Blazer great, has floated in the Willamette River just south of the Steel Bridge for 19 years.
it was built to serve water taxis and to attract recreational boaters to downtown Portland. The city envisioned people tying up their boats to the dock and taking in a Blazers game or heading out for a night on the town.
But that vision never materialized.
Instead, recreational boaters stayed away from the dock, and for a period of time, it became a popular place for transients.
"Boaters were actually afraid to spend time there, worried about vandalism and other property issues," said Ashley Massey with the Oregon Marine Board.
The Oregon Marine Board funded the dock and says the city failed to manage it properly. It believes the dock would be used more if it were moved to Swan Island.
Daimler Trucks of North America recently completed a greenway expansion project behind its new headquarters and was interested in putting a dock in.
"We love the Willamette River," said Matt Markstaller with Daimler Trucks North America. “We went to the city and asked them if there could be the possibility of a public dock here.”
The Bureau of Transportation says the dock would be safer and even more accessible to the public if it were moved to Swan Island.
"This move will allow for a higher and better use for the dock in swan island," said John Brady, Communications Director for the Portland Bureau of Transportation.
Willie Levenson with the Human Access Project is fighting to keep at least a section of the dock where it is now. He says, the transient issue was taken care of a year ago when the city banned boats from staying at the dock overnight.
He says, the city should open the dock to swimmers, who would love the opportunity for a public swimming dock downtown.
"With very little imagination this spot can be transformed into a world class swimming area," he said. "The Kevin Duckworth dock is one of two ADA accessible opportunities to get to the water's edge in downtown Portland."
Levenson believes a dock on Swan Island is a good idea, he just thinks Daimler should pay to build a new one, or at the very least, the city should keep at least part of the Duckworth dock where it is now.
"We need a hero from the city to step forward to find a path to preserving this very important public space," he said.