How does ‘Theatre Plaza’ or ‘Wetmore Plaza’ sound? EVERETT - Two names for the new downtown plaza are rising to the top of the list.
The parks board last week suggested either “Theatre Plaza” or “Wetmore Plaza.” Both names also were suggested by the historical commission late last month.
The plaza is a quarter-block site next to the Everett Performing Arts Center on Wetmore Avenue. It opened to the public last week for the city’s Wintertide celebration.
People want two things for the plaza’s name: a moniker that lets people locate it and a way to connect it with the two theaters adjacent to it.
The City Council will have the final say next year after the historical commission forwards a formal name suggestion in January.
The public is invited to send name suggestions through Tuesday, Jan. 29 to the historical commission or cultural arts manager Carol Thomas at City Hall, 2930 Wetmore Ave.
Most of the park board members prefer Theatre Plaza when they discussed names last week.
The name cultivates the idea Everett has added to its arts and culture, board chair Tina Hokanson said.
“People in Seattle still think Everett is working class, union,” Hokanson said. “‘Theater’ in the name would really shift perception.”
Other park board members worried “Theatre Plaza” would confuse tourists because there are a number of theaters downtown.
“Wetmore Plaza” would acknowledge one of Everett’s founding fathers, Charles W. Wetmore, while signifying what street the plaza is on, historical commissioners such as Dave Ramstad said previously.
“Wetmore Plaza: people will know right where that’s at,” park board member Michael Swanson said.
Resident Gary Allen suggested combining the two into “Wetmore Theatre Plaza.”
Locals will call it whatever they want to, while tourists will be able to find it, Allen said.
City staffers gave the plaza the working title “City Plaza,” which nobody seems to like.
The quarter-of-a-block plaza should be fully finished by next spring, parks and recreation director Paul Kaftanski said. Most of the major construction work wrapped up last week.
Whidbey Island artist Linda Beaumont is building a fountain and a mosaic wall into the plaza. The city allocated $2.7 million for the plaza, which has been in the works for more than six years. The project faced numerous delays since construction started in 2010.
The plaza is the first property to go through the city’s new public naming process, which means the name will go through multiple public reviews before becoming official.
The historical commission next meets at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29 on the eighth floor of City Hall, 2930 Wetmore Ave.
Add to the mosaic wall
People can contribute to the mosaic wall at a Thursday, Dec. 27 workshop. The workshop runs from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Anderson Room at the Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave. Nonperishable materials such as glass pieces will be used to create the wall, and people can bring their own hard materials to add as well. Perishable materials such as cloth, paper, plastic and fabric will not be accepted.
