Over the last three decades, room service has taken on a whole new meaning at the Beverly Motel, and on Wednesday, the east Edmonton business got a wake up call.
The Beverly Motel became the first motel in the country to be shut down by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team’s Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) unit.
“For at least the last 30 years, the community surrounding this motel has witnessed numerous complaints of drugs, drug trafficking and prostitution, all within this hotel and the surrounding area,” said Sgt. Chip Sawchuk, acting manager of the SCAN unit. “They’re going to have to bring the motel up to the standards required.”
According to Sawchuk, since 1996 police have responded to almost 800 complaints at the Beverly, so in June of 2009, the SCAN unit started an investigation.
The owners were issued a warning letter but did not comply. Now the motel has to remain shut for 30 days while the conditions set out by the community safety order are met.
Sawchuk said this is a unique case in the province.
“At this time we have no other motels or hotels that we’ve got complaints on in the City of Edmonton and in the northern part of the province,” he said. “I don’t believe there are any in the south either.”
