"Duckworth Summer Wednesdays" series participants at the dock in 2023
The dock has served as a memorial to Kevin Duckworth since 2009.[2][3][4] In 2016, the Oregon State Marine Board considered a proposal from Daimler Trucking North America to relocate the dock to Swan Island to the company's headquarters.[5][6][7] This move was approved by Oregon State Marine Board and Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R).[8][9]Human Access Project (HAP) intervened to stop this move from happening.[10][11] The organization proposed improvements to the dock in 2017 by hiring landscape architect firm M.I.G. to reinvision the use of the dock as a non-motorized swimming and fishing dock that included swim ladders and bike racks.[12][13]
In 2020, HAP was successful in converting the use of the dock from motorized to non motorized and implementing improvements including the addition of eight swimming ladders and bike racks.[14][15] On July 19, 2021, City of Portland Commissioner Mingus Mapps participated in a Duckworth Wednesday event, where he spoke and jumped in the Willamette River with his staff.[16] In 2022, PP&R and HAP designated the dock one of six safer swimming areas on the Willamette River.[17] In May 2024, the Portland City Council unanimously agreed to transfer the Duckworth (as well as the Holman Dock) to PP&R. These docks were previously managed by Portland Bureau of Transportation and Prosper Portland respectively.[18]
