COEUR d'ALENE - The encore presentation, in many ways, was a lot like the original.

One difference this time around: Some came with hats shaped like boats and some held signs in the crowd.

But after Team McEuen shared its vision of a redeveloped McEuen park with the public Thursday night at Woodland Middle School, opinions on the proposal varied, just as they had after the January presentation.

Some said the idea was beautiful, some said a little too over-the-top. Some wanted to see every proposal come to fruition, some worried about what that would cost.

Count Jesse Mays, 32, of Coeur d'Alene, as one who favors the concept.

"I want everyone to have something to do," said the Coeur d'Alene resident, who visits City Park 50 times for every one time he visits McEuen Field, a ratio he said would surly change should the plan go through. "My oldest is 10. This is a park everyone can enjoy. I can see myself taking my whole family down there and everyone would have something to do."

The follow up presentation came a month after the first one, which saw around 550 people attend. Team McEuen - the architectural and engineering team that crafted the plan with the help of a 21-person steering committee of stakeholders - shared the 24 proposed changes on the downtown park with around 300 more people in the middle school gym.

Team McEuen's goal is to transform the park into a destination place that offers the most uses for the most people all year round. Recognizing the uniqueness of the park with its gateway access to the water, downtown and Tubbs Hill, they crafted the drawing from a blank slate to capitalize on the valuable, scenic property.

The question of financing it, or where exactly to put replacement items that didn't make the plan like the Third Street boat launch and American Legion baseball field would come later.

That vision includes a waterfront promenade, stepped sea wall, a cove turned ice rink in the winter, giant water fountain, open green space and grand plaza to name a few.

Too much, for some.

"I don't believe it reflects at all what North Idaho is about," said Paige Woods, of Rathdrum, who visits the park around a dozen times a year. She would like to see the park developed some, and the boat launch kept in place.

"People who live here and come here on vacation are looking for maybe a slower pace, something that isn't too developed, something more casual," she said. "It's too much pavement and brick and development."

The plan is so grand, it's hard not to wonder about how much it would cost, others said.

Dan Garnett liked just about every part of the proposal. His favorite parts were the underground parking and opening up green space on the park so it's "more than just a baseball game."

He filled out his reaction survey with a lot of 'approval' marks on the itemized proposals, but said that would change if taxpayers were stuck with a big bill.

"I want to know the costs," he said. "That's one of the determining factors."

Sharon Hebert, of Coeur d'Alene, felt the same way.

The park there now is "sad looking," she said, and the proposal was "absolutely gorgeous."

But: "It's just way over the head of anything the city can afford," she said. "I just can't see it in today's economy."

City officials have said they won't ask taxpayers for money. They would likely use the city's urban renewal agency, Lake City Development Corp., for financial assistance. LCDC uses property tax monies collected inside its district, and the agency was formed with community support in 1997 to one day help fund McEuen Field's redevelopment.

"I think it's really helpful or people who come see the presentation in its entirety and ask questions and address any concerns they may have," said Doug Eastwood, parks director, who fielded one-on-one questions with people after the presentation. "Overall, (the feedback) sounded pretty good."

Some people wore boat-shaped hats in support of keeping the Third Street boat launch. Others wore buttons. A petition against taking out the boat launch was circulated to collect signatures to hand over to the City Council in the future. Before the meeting, several people held signs asking for a public vote on the plan's eventual fate at the front door, and held those signs in the crowd.

"When it comes to an issue like this, the people should have the right to a vote," said Amy Struckmeyer, holding one of those signs. "We'll be back next week."

Next week is another public meeting on the proposal. It will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at Woodland Middle School, and public testimony will be sought.