The Roxburgh Entertainment Centre was destroyed by an unexplained fire in February and the suggestion it might be rebuilt somewhere other than its present Scotland St site rankled with many when it was first suggested last month.
However, the council this week approved the investigation of both the present and alternative sites for a new building.
This came after Teviot Valley Community Board chairman Mark Jessop told the meeting a public meeting and media coverage had influenced public feeling.
The project steering committee came to the community board for funds and time to investigate alternative sites for rebuilding the Roxburgh Entertainment Centre.
Then a fiery public meeting on December 11 concluded with an informal 80-15 vote in favour of rebuilding on the existing site without considering any other options.
However, Mr Jessop said following the meeting, and the Otago Daily Times’ reporting of it, there was an increase in public engagement in the debate.
"We had our first public meeting after 10 months and after the ODT publicity there's been some serious engagement in the last three or four days and over the last three or four days the vote in favour of having a good look at all locations has been 80-20 in favour.
"That's the vote over the last four days, since that meeting and since the ODT paper."
It would be a 100-year, multi-million project, Mr Jessop said.
Later in the meeting, council project manager Tara Bates said the voting had moved from an initial 95% in favour of rebuilding on the existing site and 5% supporting alternative sites, to a final result of 54% and 46% respectively.
During the council discussion of the community board request for money from the insurance payout to fund an investigation into both the current and alternative sites, Cr Martin McPherson compared the Roxburgh hall to the Eiffel Tower.
"I'm reminded of ... the story of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, at the time it was quite controversial. Ratepayers in Paris were screaming blue, bloody murder. And now it's the most beloved and visited icon in the whole of Europe."
Recent planning work, including a draft Teviot Valley Community Plan, should also feed into the investigation phase, Cr McPherson said.
Cr Curtis Pannett said he did not have a preferred site and the rumour mill had been in overdrive prior to the meeting.
Mayor Tamah Alley reiterated all that was being covered off on Wednesday was whether or not to investigate other sites, not what may or may not go in the building.
"I guess for me, I received a substantial amount of feedback from the people of the Teviot Valley, both formally and informally. And I know that around two-thirds of the people wanted to remain on the same site.
"And to be fair, I look at that and I think it's appropriate that it remain on the site. We have a site that is ready to go. It is ready to go now and start building.
"... so although I'm not necessarily for spending potentially $20,000 or $30,000 to look at alternatives, I do recognise that this also does enable the facility, whatever shape that they take, to remain on the current site that is ready to go."
