DETROIT -- The city of Detroit's financial crisis is hitting home at the Adam Butzel Center on the city's west side.

Cutbacks are having an effect on programs ranging from pets to senior citizens to youth hockey.

A youth team at Butzel has not had any ice to practice or play on.

Cynthia Wardlaw of the Detroit Hockey Association said it has been one problem after another.

"We didn't have a compressor, then there was an issue with getting a staff over to start laying the ice. Then the power went out," Wardlaw said.

Marilyn Alexander of the hockey league said the league's season is suffering.

"For us to be 40 days into the season, I have teams canceling games in a season that's already been cut short by two weeks," Alexander said.

Denise Beauregard is a hockey mom who is frustrated just like the young players.

"All the kids are acutely aware that they should be practicing on their home ice. All the kids are highly disappointed they have not been able to practice on their home ice," Beauregard said.

Alicia Menter is the deputy director of the Detroit Recreation Department. She said the department has worked to keep from eliminating programs, but a money shortage has forced cutbacks.

"Sixty percent of our programming staff, which is responsible for providing senior programs, youth programs, team programs, they were laid off. It adversely affected the number of hours we could program and the program offerings that we can make," Menter said.

She added the city is working to be sensitive to the needs of the citizens. "We had to do a review of all of our centers to look at our needs, look at our demographics, to see where we would best benefit from the utilization," Menter said.

Representatives of the Recreation Department met Tuesday behind closed doors with citizens who live near the west side center.

Several of those residents who left the meeting said they were pleased to have input into the city's decision and said they feel progress is being made.