"If council is so certain the public wants this project to go ahead, why don't you hold a plebiscite?" asked Ray Pickett at Tuesday night's public hearing on a zoning change to pave the way for the planned $10.5-million facility.

Pickett was one of six residents at the standing-room-only meeting who criticized the shape, size, site, site-selection process and financial burden of the multi-purpose facility.

The most compelling criticism was aimed at the siting of the complex. The city was aiming to build it on Twin Pine Hill, the treed and rocky summit rising from Old Town between Franklin and School Draw avenues.

"The process for choosing has completely excluded the public," said Leslie Green.

She backed up her statement with eight years of public input that went into the city's five key planning statements for the area. Each one said the same thing -- Twin Pine Hill should remain a natural setting.

Green also took issue with the argument that there was opportunity for input at a special meeting of council and an advertised committee meeting. "I heard about it the day it was to be held, and it was held at 12:30 in the afternoon," she said. "That, to me, is not a public meeting."

Speaking for Sport Yk Plus, the newly formed group of potential facility users, Ter Hamer offered as much support as the present proposal received this night.

Hamer outlined 10 recommendations that flowed from a Sport Yk meeting last Thursday, asking among other things that the city not ask voters for permission to borrow money for the project at this time.

"We are optimistic that through a combination of cutting desires in this facility and fundraising, the debenture could be avoided," said Hamer.

"We are fearful that if you go to debenture at this time there may be difficulty in seeing this through," he said.

The city said it had not been decided whether a debenture would be necessary, though a budget it approved May 26 says $3.9 million would have to be borrowed.

Opposition Hamer encountered during the Thursday Sport Yk meeting arose again Tuesday night.

Mark Eveson said the city should use the money its planning to spend on the facility for its proposed $3.5-million purchase of the public library, and wait until it has enough money to pay for the new community centre before going ahead with it.

Eveson also suggested the city was allowing hockey groups to take control of the planning of a facility designed to serve all.

"It seems to me this was sold to people on something more than two pieces of ice," said Eveson.