The City of Cleveland will utilize six recreation centers as cooling centers during this week’s heat wave.
Temperatures are expected to exceed 90-plus degrees Monday through Friday. The heat index will eclipse 100 degrees every day this week, according to the National Weather Service. Due to the dangerous conditions, six recreation centers will have their hours extended to accommodate Clevelanders in need of shelter from the heat.
The following facilities will be utilized cooling centers during the day:
- Zelma George NRRC, 3155 Martin Luther King Jr Dr.
- Collinwood NRRC, 16300 Lakeshore Blvd.
- Gunning NRRC, 16700 Puritas Ave.
- Frederick Douglass NRRC, 15401 Miles Ave.
- Kovacic NRRC, 6250 St Clair Ave.
- Michael Zone NRRC, 6301 Lorain Ave.
Each facility will be open from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m., Monday through Friday this week. All normally scheduled recreation programming will continue, but each site will also have areas within the building where people can go and cool down.
Additionally, in response to the heat, Cleveland is suspending playground programs Monday through Friday this week. That suspension includes the playground meal program. However, playground staff is being reassigned to recreation centers. All recreation centers will serve lunch meals to people 18 and younger, each day this week, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
On Juneteenth, Wednesday, only the six recreation centers serving as cooling sites will serve meals.
Finally, the City Spray Park and Spray Basins will be open Monday through Friday this week.
The National Weather Service offers the following tips for dealing with the extreme heat.
“Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,” the agency said in a hazardous weather alert. “Take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.”
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