To sounds of a banging gavel and tales of ghosts, city residents came out in force to oppose a planned crematorium in Porter Creek on Monday evening.

Mayor Bev Buckway had to call for order several times during a public hearing on the proposed crematorium.

More than 20 people in the packed council chambers opposed the plan.

They called it creepy, harmful to children's mental health, who would know what goes on there, a threat to property values and an invitation to spirits to haunt Porter Creek.

Jane Olson told council she is against having a crematorium near her home because she's worried about breathing in substances from the chimney and feels it would affect her property value.

'When I purchased my home, that thing wasn't there,' she said.

'There's another factor it's called the creep factor'. Who wants to live near a crematorium?' Olson asked.

Naresh Prasad, a Riverdale resident, said he doesn't agree with having a crematorium near residential areas because it could have supernatural consequences.

'When I heard this crematorium was going to be in a residential area, I said what?'

'I'm from India and I think of ghosts,' he said.

The public hearing was on a proposal by Chris Thompson, the owner of the Heritage North Funeral Home, to build a crematorium and funeral home near Willow Printers on Centennial Street in Porter Creek.

Thompson is seeking a zoning amendment because the commercial zoning for the area allows for a funeral home, but not a crematorium, which is restricted to the Alaska Highway.

Brian Cawley, who lives next door to the proposed crematorium site, said he feels having a crematorium next to his business and home would affect his ability to sell it in the future, should he choose to do so.

'The appraised value will be the same, but the ability to sell it will be affected,' he said.

Ann Dibbs said she is worried the crematorium would emit smoke and affect her health.

'I'm fairly allergic to any kind of smoke.'

Carole Bookless said she felt the crematorium is an industrial activity and shouldn't be allowed in commercial or residential areas.

'A crematorium is an industrial use. They chose to pick a site that wasn't zoned for this,' she said.

Deanna Luft said she too felt crematoriums should not be located near residential areas.

'I can't believe it belongs downtown, or Riverdale or in any other residential area.'

John Horvath, a Porter Creek resident, said he feels it's well established that crematoria should be located away from homes.

He said information he's read on a British Columbia CBC website quoted the province's medical officer of health, Perry Kendall, as saying he doesn't believe that type of operation should be located near homes.

'I'm not against a crematorium in Yukon. What I'm against is a crematorium being proposed in a residential area anywhere in Whitehorse,' Horvath said.

In an interview with the Star earlier this month, Kendall said he didn't see a problem with locating crematoria near homes as long as they were operated properly.

Bryce Larke, the Yukon's medical officer of health, said he didn't see any evidence that crematoria would be a threat to public health or safety.

Marika Whitney said she believes the crematorium should be located near Grey Mountain.

She said research she's done on the Internet showed crematoria could lead to mercury emissions and affect children's brain development.

Council will present a report on last night's public hearing next month.