While more input is expected, Orillia residents are making their views known with respect to the construction of a proposed multi-use recreation facility (MURF) in Orillia.

With more responses expected before a March 17 deadline, organizers of a recent MURF town hall meeting have received feedback from local residents.

“They (questionnaires) are trickling in now and at the moment we have about 40, but we’re hoping we’ll have a lot more before the deadline,” said Allan Millard, one of the members of the citizens action group that hosted the March 6 town hall meeting.

Of the questionnaires that have been received so far, Millard said some have expressed support for the MURF project, but the majority is opposed to building on the site.

Millard feels the response has been good to the questionnaire and he anticipates the numbers will grow over the weekend.

In advance of the meeting, Millard said 500 questionnaires were printed up and he indicated town hall attendees took home approximately 250-260.

“It was my idea to create the questionnaire because we anticipated a big crowd and we didn’t think there would be time for everyone in the room to give their input,” he said.

Once all the information from the questionnaires has been collected, Millard said the plan is to present their findings to city council in the form of a report.

His hope is to present the report at a deputation before council in April.

Millard said the report would be extensive, with response to each of the items on the questionnaire.

“It might take us a page or two to give the results for each question. So it isn’t going to be easily summarized,” he said.

Millard feels there is a need for the deputation before council in April because he feels some city councilors are attempting to move the MURF project along rapidly.

“We believe that because some members of council are pushing this project more quickly, in the hopes of receiving favourable answers from the Ministry of Environment. They want to move quickly, but we want to be able to tell them what people are thinking,” said Millard.

In April, city council is expecting an official response to their third risk assessment study on the proposed MURF site on West Street.

Millard said he has his doubts the study will receive favourable response from the ministry.

He takes issue with the venting of the gases under the building and how the city is dealing with chemical hot spots on the 26-acre site.

“We just don’t think there has been enough study and and debate on the source area,” said Millard.