The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department will be opening up its cooling centers on July 16 and July 17 as forecasted high temperatures in the 90s have the central Ohio region gripped by a heat advisory.
Recreation and Parks will open cooling centers at five of its regional community centers, according to a July 15 media release. The cooling centers will open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. both days.
The following cooling centers will be open to the public:
The announcement that cooling centers are opening comes as much of central Ohio remains under a heat advisory issued by the National Weather Service in Wilmington. Franklin, Delaware, Union, Madison and Licking counties are included in the advisory, which is currently set to expire at 8 p.m. July 15 but may be extended.
The heat index, or the “real feel” temperature, is expected to reach 101 degrees, according to the weather service.
The Recreation and Parks Department release announcing the cooling centers would be open July 16 and 17 did not explain why the cooling centers were not open on July 15, given there was a heat advisory in effect.
Pools, spray grounds will have extended hours
In addition to cooling centers, the city’s outdoor pools will be open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on July 16 and July 17. The normal $3 admission fee will be waived.
Recreation and Parks warns that pools may reach capacity because of the heat and free admission, and encourages people to check the status of their local pool before going.
Spray grounds are free and will be open from noon until 8 p.m. on those days.
COTA waives fare admissions during heat advisories
The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) will offer free rides during heat advisories. COTA normally suspends fares on all its transit vehicles when a heat advisory – or a cold advisory in winter –is issued by the weather service.
The no-fare policy will be in effect for all of July 15.
Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@dispatch.com, at ShahidMeighan on X, and at shahidthereporter.dispatch.com on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Cooling centers in Columbus opening on July 16-17
Reporting by Shahid Meighan, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Shahid Meighan, Columbus Dispatch | USA TODAY Network
