Coffee shops, water coolers and internet forums are all buzzing about the referendum. Our elected officials are also offering their two cents about the big vote. The time for talk is finished. We are getting a multiplex. That became official Wednesday night  after nearly 13,000 ballots were counted, revealing 60 per cent support from voters. Two more Moose Jaw City Councillors who listened to the Multiplex results on the radio Wednesday night are giving us their thoughts on the referendum results.

Councillor Al Schwinghammer was very pleased to learn the results, "I only hope that this results in a concentrated community effort for them to work together and let's get this facility built not just for us but for the future.  It's just one of the best things to happen to this community in the last 50, 60 years."

Councillor Dawn Luhning hopes that with the vote in favour of the project will bring the community together and end the fighting. "The people have spoken and really, honesty it's time for us to listen to the people and move on and try and make this the best facility that Moose Jaw has seen and try and make it work for the entire community."

Luhning says she was a little surprised by the results, not the fact that it was in favour of the project, but the fact that it was so close, "I thought it would be more in the 70 percent mark for. This is another reason why we have to set our differences aside and learn maybe from some past mistakes that I think we've made along the way.  People are just tired of it, it was dividing the community and friends are fighting with friends.  I just can't reiterate enough the vote has come through and we need to come together."

Schwinghammer agrees and hopes the community can come together to support this project, "In the weeks to come obviously we're going to be waiting anxiously for the Canada Builds and in the meantime the consultants and the contractors are working diligently on preparing their as built drawings and once one is chosen and the green light is given and construction should certainly start this spring."

There is still a bit of work to do down at City Hall after the vote Wednesday as Elections staff are crossing all the "t's" and dotting the "i's".

Returning Officer Myron Gulka-Tiechko, "Under the local government election act if there are a number of spoiled ballots that represent the difference in the vote there would have to an automatic recount.  But my early information is that there are about 15 or 20 spoiled or disputed ballots.  We will be doing the offical count on Friday and I'll have those exact numbers.  But at this stage I'd be surprised if there were any basis for a recount." The numbers are expected to be announced at 2:00pm Friday afternoon.