EVERETT — Police and fire vehicles were parked outside the Welcome Motor Inn at Broadway and 12th Street for the better part of the day Saturday.
But no one was arrested.
And nothing was on fire.
Instead, the owners and staff of the motel invited the emergency responders — who receive numerous calls to the neighborhood — to help prove a point.
"People have said about the neighborhood that ‘garbage attracts garbage,’" said Diana Walbridge, night manager at Welcome Motor Inn. "But I don’t believe that everyone who lives at the north end of Everett is garbage. We’re not like that over here. We’re not in that loop."
So, in an attempt to combat the negative image of "motel row," Walbridge had an open house with an emphasis on safety.
"It’s a nice effort," said Everett Fire Department Capt. Tom Walsh. "They’ve got a lot of good stuff going on. It’s a good idea. It can’t hurt."
Walsh and four other firefighters drove a firetruck to the open house and were showing off the rig to visitors. The Everett Police Department also had a squad car for neighbors to peek into.
Along with police and fire agencies, the motel offered food and entertainment from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. By lunchtime, about 30 people had passed through, Walbridge said.
She hustled around, carrying platters of food and directing neighbors and their children to the events.
"Santa is in Room 115," Walbridge told a group of kids. "In Room 116 is the cakewalk, fishpond, face painting and clown. And, of course, the fire and police departments are out front."
To make way for visitors, several of the motel’s 42 rooms were rearranged. The beds were pushed out of the way, leaning vertically against a far wall, to make room for Santa’s chair and a Christmas tree. In another room, space was cleared for a fishpond game and for cakewalk numbers to be laid out on the floor.
Walbridge said the motel would like to have the event annually, and maybe add an Easter egg hunt in the spring to bring the neighborhood together.
The people who work at the motel felt they had to do something — anything — to try to improve the motel’s reputation and perceptions of north Everett.
"We try very hard to run a decent establishment here," Walbridge said. "And we just wanted to do something positive for the community. "
Unlike some other motels, the Welcome Motor Inn will not put up with crime, she said.
The motel has started a no-rent list made up of people who have caused problems or engaged in illegal activity in one of the rooms. The motel even shared the list of names with the Days Inn across Broadway.
"I don’t believe that you have to rent to people who are doing illegal things to stay in business," Walbridge said. "And if you do, you shouldn’t be in business."
Motel co-owner Tom Kim echoed her sentiments. Eventually, he hopes a positive image of the neighborhood and of his business will catch on.
"Definitely," he said. "If not this year, next year. If not next year, the year after. Who knows, in a few years maybe the whole block will participate."
Dave Leon, a 23-year resident of Everett, stopped by the motel to chat and have some pizza and a hot dog.
"This area has been plagued with a reputation of a bad element. It’s nice to see that people are asserting themselves to change things," Leon said. "Even as small as this is, at least it’s a start."
Reporter Jennifer Warnick: 425-339-3429 or jwarnick@heraldnet.com.
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