Hay River (Apr 10/06) - Hay River residents have offered wide-ranging suggestions on how to spend a $1.9 million windfall coming to the community.

About 25 residents gathered at a March 27 public meeting to express their views to town council. Ideas ranged from a new fire hall, an expanded soup kitchen, community beautification, bus shelters, and much more.

The money is Hay River's share of the Community Capacity Building Fund. The territorial government established the $35 million fund to be shared by all communities with money from the federal government's Northern Strategy.

The Hay River Fire Department made its case for a new fire hall, noting the existing building is too small to contain all of the department's equipment.

Some vehicles can barely squeeze into the building with only inches to spare, while others are kept at a different site, said fire chief Robert Sibbeston. He said an ambulance fits into the building with only a quarter-inch clearance from overhead lights.

Firefighter Dean Korpesio noted the fire hall doesn't have a sprinkler system.

"History shows fires can happen even at a fire hall," he said.

Korpesio said a new fire hall would benefit Hay River and surrounding communities. Several community residents at the meeting supported the idea.

The Hay River Seniors Society made a pitch for $206,000 from the fund to construct a large meeting room in the proposed Whispering Willows seniors housing project.

"It's community capacity building at its best," said society spokesperson June Eirikson.

Laura Rose, the president of the Hay River soup kitchen, said her organization already has about $7,500 raised for an expansion, and requested $20,000-$25,000 from the fund.

She said the soup kitchen does a lot of good work, "but we could do so much better if we had more space."

Wendy Cayen, on behalf of West Point First Nation, made the case for an expanded band office.

"All we want is a bigger building, please," Cayen said, noting there is only one office for five staff members.

Mayor Diana Ehman had expected more people to show up at the meeting.

"I'm a bit disappointed in the turn-out," she said, adding she expected about 50 people.

However, Ehman said she heard a lot of good ideas, although she would not say which ones she might support.

She noted the town will now continue the process with meetings with the West Point First Nation, the Hay River Metis Council, and other public meetings in the future. Under the GNWT's criteria for spending the money, the town, the First Nation and the Metis Nation have to agree on how to spend the money by Nov. 1.

Community agreement has proved elusive in Fort Smith, where the town, Salt River First Nation and the Metis Council have been unable to decide on spending priorities.

When asked if such a controversy might arise in Hay River, Ehman replied with an emphatic "No."