The men, who are cousins, agreed Wanaka's sports debate was like Dunedin's stadium debate "but less acrimonious".
Mr Hook is a keen supporter of the camping ground and wants to keep it in central Wanaka.
He disagrees with a recent Queenstown Lakes District Council feasibility report concluding there is no compelling economic or social reason to keep it open.
The camp site is one of three locations proposed for new sports facilities by 2014-16.
The public was invited to view the plans at a four-hour session yesterday.
Mr Kane did not express a view to the ODT yesterday.
As a board member, he must wade his way through a plethora of documents, submissions and opinions on the QLDC's 10-year plan before deciding on recommendations.
However, he was sympathetic to his cousin's arguments as they recalled their "youthful rites of passage" at the Wanaka Lakeview Holiday Park, in the days when young campers were all accommodated away from family groups in what was called the "bullring".
"We've got past that, but I would feel a lot happier if some good, planned alternative [to closing the camp] was offered," Mr Hook said.
As a former hockey club member, Mr Hook understood the need to alleviate pressure on sports grounds.
He also supported the call for better aquatic facilities so all children and youths learned to swim.
"But to be fair, you still have to look at the campers. It really got my hackles up at the flat recommendation the camping ground be closed. That's where Wanaka's popularity started," Mr Hook said.
Wanaka scuba-diving instructor Steve Traynor is a member of the aquatic centre working party that has recommended the pool be located at Kellys Flat, separately from the other proposed facilities.
Kellys Flat is close to schools and the location is supported by many submitters.
There could be a $50 per-property savings in rates rises if a pool was built along with other facilities, but Mr Traynor believed that was not a "big deal".
However, the first priority was to get a new pool and if the community waited for land to become available at one of the alternative sites, in Ballantyne Rd, that would take too long, Mr Traynor said.
"I am looking forward to hearing what the public think. We've done everything we can to get it to this stage," he said.
At least 40 people attended during the first hour of the four-hour drop-in session yesterday and many more people were expected to see the display before it closed at 7pm.
Capital costs for the new pool have been estimated at $11.5 million and the sports facility building would cost $10 million.
The projects would be funded from developers' contributions ($8.58 million), land sales ($5 million), grants and donations ($3.2 million) and repayments of loans by ratepayers ($4.66 million).
Once opened between 2014-16, each residential rates bill could rise by $150 to meet the operating costs of the new facilities.
The proposed sites are: Kellys Flat (pool only); camping ground and showgrounds; or greenfields site at Ballantyne Rd.
Submissions close on February 27. Further submissions are possible during the 10-year plan process from March 28 to May 1. A decision will be made by June.
