By 240 votes, Quesnel officials have been given the green light on the multi-centre.

Now, as Mayor Nate Bello has always maintained “the hard work begins.”

With the referendum passing Saturday with a final count of 2,765 yes votes and 2,525 no votes, Yes Committee members are celebrating a long-awaited victory.

“Kit Collins, Robin Hay and Shane Thon started this adventure six or seven years ago, when it was obvious that the arena was hurting and needed to be replaced,” committee member Dora Kolody said.

After some time, she continued, it was decided a true multi-centre was in order as the arts community also needed a place to call home.

Theatre advocates Bernice Heinzleman and Chuck Mobley joined the group. Shortly after Betty Anne Russell, Eric Wickham and Shirley Smith climbed aboard the Yes train.

“What a ride it’s been,” Kolody said.

“We dredged up every awareness-raising tool we could think of, from the billboards, yard signs and placards, to our brochures, powerpoint presentations, radio and TV ads, booster buttons and finally our rally last week that drew about 150 boisterous people yelling ‘can we build it? Yes we can.’”

Kolody said there’s been many anxious moments, but in the end the Yes side won. But, certainly not without a bump or two in the road.

Most notably the Nov. 12 full-page advertisement in the Observer.

The ad, which bears the logos of West Fraser Mills, Tolko, Cariboo Pulp and Paper, Canfor and C&C Wood Products asks residents to “carefully consider the cost, scope and timing of the project before voting Nov. 15.”

“Every dollar of additional expense our communities face in taxes further jeopardizes the jobs we have been able to retain during these difficult times,” it reads.

“If the multi-centre were to go ahead at this time it would put an additional burden on the major corporate taxpayers and would jeopardize existing jobs,” it continues.

“We encourage area residents to consider postponing this project until our industry and our community’s economic stability is more certain and the jobs we have in place more secure.”

The Yes Committee, upon reading the ad, asked the city’s director of finance Byron Johnson to break down the companies recreation tax bill if the referendum passed and only if borrowing the full $15 million is needed.

They are:

• Tolko $9,300 per year

• Canfor $11,000 per year

• West Fraser $47,000 per year

• Other mills $234,000 (this is for MDF, Plywood Plant, NorthStar Timber, Cariboo Pulp and Quesnel River Pulp).

“West Fraser has a $600,000 per year tax break through a 10-year agreement with the city,” the Committee’s response to the ad reads.

“I remember the uproar over the building of the rec centre and the river walk, but can we imagine life without them now?” Kolody asked.

“Our committee is so grateful to everyone who jumped on board.

“We will watch over the fundraising phase with great interest and be there until this fabulous piece of architecture is up and running, and bringing pride to the entire community.”

Multi-Centre Task Force co-chair Mary Glassford said it was a long day awaiting results, but she’s thankful the people of Quesnel looked into the future and realized a yes vote would allow the Gold Pan City to step up and continue working towards the goal of fundraising and lobbying for matching funds.

“That was also a huge sigh of relief as a no vote would have set this back for at least five to seven years to just have another chance at a referendum and no possibility of raising further funds,” she said.

West Fraser officials were unavailable for comment at Observer’s press deadlines.