Residents of Ahuntsic-Cartierville have voted against allowing the creation of a mosque in a commercial section of their borough.

A total of 481 people cast ballots in the referendum on Sunday, and 291 people voted against the change.

The Islamic community centre has been operating on Legendre St. for the past three years, and last year borough council unanimously approved a zoning change to allow it to operate as a prayer centre as well.

That angered many people in the community and they managed to garner enough signatures on a petition to force a referendum.

Opponents publicly said they were worried about an increase in traffic and difficulty finding parking in the area.

Worshippers said only 50 people, at most, were praying at the centre, and an urban development committee agreed that difficulty finding parking was unlikely because most of the centre's clients lived within walking distance.

Opponents also said they were worried about the neighbourhood turning into a "sultanate" with two classes of citizens, and of the possibility of Islamic extremists.

Rabia Lebcir, a volunteer at the centre, said he had been confronted by the prejudiced attitude.

"They're hiding about parking but when they distribute the papers to the people they don't talk about parking, they talk about Islamophobia," he said, pointing out that opponents were paranoid about terrorists.

"I am against that. That's why I have to fight for this. Have to change that impression. I can't just be labeled like that."

The centre's administrators said Sunday evening they were disappointed with the referendum results, and will look for another location in the community where Muslims can pray.