Vince and Teresa Walton pose for one last photo in front of the OxBow Motel sign before it is taken down. The couple has owned the establishment for five years and have enjoyed their work. They plan to keep living in the building as it is also their home and have plans to extend their living quarters into some of the guest rooms.
The Oxbow Motel has been around a long time. Many of us can not remember a time when it wasn't the first thing greeting people upon entering the city limits of Nelson from the north. As with all good things, its time as a motel will soon be ending. As of 11:59 p.m., on the night of December 31, the motel will become a family home.
I visited with the owners, Vince and Teresa Walton, about the change . They told me about all the challenges facing them which, in the end, condemned the roadside motel. Roadside motels across the nation are getting hit hard by insurance companies, and forced to comply with the ADA regulations. In order to make the rooms handicap accessible, each room would have to be gutted and enlarged to allow for wider doorways and accessible bathrooms. The parking area would need to be refinished to remove the small curb in front of the entryways, allowing for wheelchairs to easily maneuver from car to room.
Selling the stucture as a motel is not a vible option either. The motel was built around 1972. In order to pass a real estate inspection, the electrical wiring would need to be updated as well as bringing all the rooms and parking lot to ADA standards. Another requirment needed for continuing to be be insured was the building needed to be enclosed. In other words, people would have to travel through the lobby to get to their room. No outside access to individual rooms would be allowed. The insurance company is canceling the Oxbow's coverage. Vince was able to convince them to continue the policy until the end of the year at a much higher rate, so they could honor the reservations they had on the books.
Vince retired from the Navy after 26 years of service and then went on to be the chief engineer at a shopping mall for another five years before taking on the motel. He has not left the area in that five years, except for his father's funeral and medical needs. Running a motel is a round-the-clock responsibility, and holidays and weekends are simply another day on the calendar. Whether it be Christmas or Easter, 110 degrees or 20 below, rooms must be cleaned, guests must be checked in, and linens must be washed.
Vince is looking forward to finding a hobby during his retirement. He even commented on converting one of the guest rooms into a billiards room. Teresa is excited to have a larger space for her sewing, and hoping to soon be able to offer her talents as a seamstress to the community. They hope to be able to continue selling ice at the front of the building, and plan to remain active in the community.
The couple will miss the motel business as it has been a fun and exciting adventure, but they are looking forward to settling down a bit and maybe taking a vacation, visiting their children and grandchidren. They are looking for new ways to contribute to the community. Since they will no longer be able to donate rooms for events such as the rodeos, they hope to help out in other ways.
I know many folks will be upset about this finality and it will be a great loss for the community, but please do your best to understand the circumstances surrounding the decision the Waltons were forced to make. After speaking with Vince and Teresa, it was clear that this decision was not made lightly. With that said, let us all congratulate the Waltons on their retirement. Here's to hoping Vince finds that hobby!
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