HAY RIVER - A search is on in Hay River for new locations for two valued service institutions.

The Hay River Community Youth Centre and the Hay River Soup Kitchen now share a lot zoned commercial, and the town wants to correct that long-running violation of its bylaws. It also has an unnamed company that has expressed possible interest in buying the land.

However, Mayor Kelly Schofield said the company is not interested in kicking anyone off the lot.

Emphasizing the lot's conformity with the bylaws is the main issue, Schofield said relocation is the town's preferred option.

"It appears that's what will be happening," said Laura Rose, president of the Soup Kitchen, which could be the most easily moved since it operates in a trailer.

However, rezoning the lot to institutional does not appear to be out of the question.

"It is still an option, but a less feasible option at this point in time," Schofield said, adding rezoning would be an "arduous" process involving the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, engineers and other groups.

Rose said the town did some brainstorming and came up with three options for a new location for the Soup Kitchen.

However, she immediately dismissed one of the ideas - sharing the dining room at the Royal Canadian Legion.

Many of the Soup Kitchen's clients are alcoholics, she said. "That's not a good plan putting them closer to booze."

She said the two other options involved moving to church land, which she declined to specify.

"It's like they don't have anything else zoned institutional, and that's where we should be," Rose said.

The town has offered financial help to the Soup Kitchen for relocation, although Rose does not expect a move before spring.

She said she is not as personally attached to the current site as the youth centre, which has invested more in its building.

Rev. Don Flumerfelt, the chair of the youth centre, confirmed the town would like to see it and the South Kitchen move.

"So basically, the search is on for another property for the both of us," Flumerfelt said.

The Roman Catholic priest said the youth centre's situation is a "bit muddier" than for the Soup Kitchen.

"Their proposal to us is more complex," he said, adding the town is suggesting an alternate building that needs to be brought up to code.

Flumerfelt declined to identify the building.

"It's not really a valid offer until it's ready to be offered," he said.

Flumerfelt said the youth centre board is encouraged the town is working on relocation options.

However, he also said it is possible the youth centre might stay where it is.

"If the Soup Kitchen moves, it's possible (for) the youth centre to stay if the town votes for rezoning, or if someone else buys the land and requests rezoning," he said.

The youth centre is an offshoot of the Hay River Ministerial Association.

The Soup Kitchen subleased its section of the land from the ministerial association.

At its Nov. 16 meeting, town council declined to consider new lease applications from the youth centre and Soup Kitchen.

Schofield said the leases could not be considered because the land is zoned commercial.

However, even that was confusing as the youth centre and Soup Kitchen say they withdrew the applications before the meeting.

"It's a pretty heated topic right now," Schofield said.

The mayor explained the two institutions leased the land 14 years ago, but that was only supposed to be on a temporary, year-to-year basis.

The lease expired in 2005 and was not renewed, although Schofield said the town was aware of that.

"They knew, but they didn't want to disrupt the organizations," he said.

The matter came to a head in July when the Legion announced a $60,000 donation to the Soup Kitchen, which then applied to the town for a permit to install an upgraded trailer on the Woodland Drive lot.

The Soup Kitchen's new home - an $89,000 used trailer - has been sitting at a Hay River business since the summer waiting for the land issue to be worked out.

Schofield said the issue can't be ignored any longer.

Aside from the zoning issue, the current situation violates town bylaws in that there are two water and sewer lines to the same property, and there is also a lack of parking.

Schofield said positive meetings were recently held with the two organizations, and more will be scheduled.

"We want to do something sooner than later," he said, adding he is optimistic a solution can be found.