Audrey McCall Beach (also known as Eastbank Crescent Beach, or the Eastbank Crescent and Dock)[1] is an urban beach along the east bank of the Willamette River, near the Hawthorne Bridge in Portland, Oregon, United States.[2]
Description and history
Named after Audrey McCall, the opening was spearheaded by the Human Access Project (HAP).[3][4][5][6] HAP removed 19 tons of concrete from what would become Audrey McCall Beach during 2013–2019 with assistance of volunteers and inmate work crews.[7][8]
In 2015, HAP successfully lobbied City Council to create an improved public beach on the east side of the river, ostensibly Audrey McCall Beach.[9][10]
On October 8, 2017, Tad McCall (son of former Oregon Governor Tom McCall and Audrey McCall) expressed support of development of a beach park to honor his mother.[11][12] In 2018, HAP partnered with Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) to produce Sunday Splashways in conjunction with PBOT's Sunday Parkways program.[13]
The beach opened as the city's second official public beach on July 5, 2019.[7][14][15][16] HAP spearheaded the effort, acquiring necessary permits for the swimming area and funding a lifeguard program at the beach for the opening year. Lifeguards were stationed at the beach during select hours on Fridays through Sundays between July 5 and September 1, 2019.[17][18][19] In 2019 HAP partnered with non profit Ground Score to fund the hiring of homeless individuals to keep the beach clean in the summer.[20]
July 25, 2022, Portland Parks & Recreation in partnership with HAP named Audrey McCall Beach one of six recommended safer swimming areas on the Willamette River.[21]
