By Phil Melnychuk Staff Reporter May 10 2006 It may have been the beautiful spring evening -- perhaps the hockey playoffs -- whatever the reason, the odds of a casino opening in Maple Ridge didn move many to get to an open house on the topic Monday. Two hours into the evening and the number of municipal staff and consultants almost equalled the number of members of the public who showed up. Helene Wonnacott showed up, however, and believes Maple Ridge should have a casino. She was one of a handful of people who filtered into the Arts Centre Theatre and said shed rather spend her money here than at Boulevard Casino in Coquitlam. People who are going to gamble, they e going to gamble, she said. Betty White had the same opinion. I think we should have it. I think it would cut down on our taxes. It would give us a better tax base instead of just relying on homeowners. She just wished more people had shown up to give their opinion. I don think everything should be going to Pitt Meadows and thats probably what will happen. They e getting everything right now. Former Maple Ridge councillor Betty Levens said a casino could bring in people from other areas because gamblers like a change of scenery and to visit different venues. She said its difficult getting a turnout to an open house, but if a proposal for a casino moves forward, those who oppose it will be angry. How do you get to 60,000 people? Everyone is so … busy now. A delegation from the Ridge Meadows Bingo Association also showed up, but didn comment. Instead, representatives handed out a pamphlet explaining their support for a community gaming centre – an expanded bingo hall with slot machines. The association says such a centre would enhance local gaming proceeds while a casino would jeopardize them. Eric Phillips, with the Hammond Community Association, has the same view, saying that a casino, with its larger prizes, would siphon money from local charities that are now supported by Haney Bingoplex proceeds. We want something in this community thats going to be beneficial to the 38 charities, that now rely on the bingo hall, he said. If a casino were to come in here, they would lose their funding because all the money would go to the district. Every service club in Maple Ridge has a bingo licence. Thats how they raise their money to help the different groups. Phillips said the Maple Ridge Eagles service club gets about the $28,000 a year; the Maple Ridge Mountain Festival, more than $800 a month. I can see a casino being of benefit to this community, he said. Two members of council also showed up, Al Hogarth and Linda King. The open house was the final exercise in sounding out the public will. It followed two focus group meetings involving between 10 and 15 people, as well as six stakeholder meetings. Those morning meetings involved representatives from 120 groups in Maple Ridge who completed work books on the topic and asked questions and made comments. The most important thing to remember is theres no application before council right now, said Norman Gludovatz of Tactical Outcomes, one of the firms handling the consultation process. Tactical Outcomes and Idea Works will present its findings to council in June.