A year after labor leader and Port of Los Angeles Harbor Commissioner Dave Arian died in 2019, a portion of San Pedro’s Miner Street was designated as “Arian Way” in his honor.
At one particular spot, rocks with plaques paying tribute to the former union leader where placed near the public bench at Berth 46 where Arian would go to sit and just look out over the harbor as ships traveled in and out of the port.
But as the activity increased in the Outer Harbor, a gate that set off the area was often locked.
“The gate was always locked and the public couldn’t access it,” said harbor Commissioner Diane Middleton in a phone interview this week. “I kept getting these calls.”
A number of issues appeared to prompt the reduced access, she said, including remediation for a future boat repair site. The port also said cruise-related activities were becoming more active in the area.
So after discussions with Arian’s family members, Middleton brought the issue up at the port’s April 11 commission meeting, saying efforts were underway to find a new waterfront spot for the unique memorial.
And after checking out a few sites, she said, it was determined to relocate the memorial at the end of Signal Street where U.S. Water Taxi is located but now is planning to move.
Middleton, a close friend of Arian’s for years, said it’s not clear when the transition will take place, but that it has been determined the site meets the criteria of offering port views and plenty of parking.
The search was conducted by Middleton with his family members and International Longshore and Warehouse Union leaders.
The Arian Way street name and “Dave’s Bench” memorial were initially dedicated on Feb. 8, 2020. It was one of Arian’s favorite front-row seats overlooking the Angel’s Gate Lighthouse and the breakwater, where ships enter and leave the Port of Los Angeles.
Arian spent years working on the docks and in the 1990s led the ILWU as its international president, the union’s highest post. But he always considered himself a rank-and-filer, going the extra mile to help younger dockworkers and others as they got their start in life. He became one of San Pedro’s best known citizens.
In 2010, Arian was appointed to the Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners by then-Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and provided a fresh perspective that reflected both union and community concerns. He was re-appointed in 2013 by Mayor Eric Garcetti and served on the five-member board until his death.
Arian died Jan. 2, 2019, at the age of 72 after a lengthy battle with an aggressive form of thyroid cancer.
Middleton, an attorney with strong ties to the union and Arian’s family, was appointed to the seat he vacated.
Arian’s passing brought a surge of accolades from people in all walks of life.
“David Arian embodied what service means for his fellow human being,” posted Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Twitter on the day Arian died. “From the docks to the board room, his humor, intelligence & commitment to justice built the most successful port in the Americas while doing right for the workers & community that are the lifeblood of the harbor.”
The current Arian Way street designation on that portion of Miner Street, meanwhile, is not expected to change even if the bench and plaque are moved, according to a port spokesperson.
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