Cooling centers or stations are an emerging resource during extreme heat, offering a place to cool down in air conditioning and hydrate.
In cities like Wilmington, where urban infrastructure makes hot days even hotter, they’re a critical resource for low-income families without access to a cool place.
Cooling centers are not a new concept. Public libraries and other government buildings can serve as places to get out of the heat, and shopping malls, movie theaters, and other air conditioned establishments are often used as informal cooling centers.
But Delaware Resilience Hub founder Stacey Henry says it’s important to create ones with intention.
“There are different places that may have air conditioning, but if you're not there for official business, or for a specific purpose, they're not going to let you just hang around to stay cool,” she explained. “So we feel it's important because there is no membership or no invitation for cooling stations. You can just walk in, stay as long as you want, and leave whenever you want.”
Henry helps run the cooling station at the Resurrection Center in Wilmington. She says there’s a clear need for them in the city, but because they’re so new, many are unaware of them.
“One young man was walking from work and he said ‘what is a cooling station?’ and instead of me standing outside in the heat trying to explain to him I said ‘well, if you have time I can tell you more about it. But better yet, you know you can get some cold water and a nice snack.’ He hung around for a little while and he said ‘okay well I'm going home now I have about eight more blocks to walk and it's very hot outside.’”
Accessibility is key to a cooling center’s effectiveness.
Placing them in areas residents can access by bus, or by foot, without overexterting themselves in the heat is important. And having community organizations and institutions help run them can aid in building public trust and raising awareness.
The Resurrection Center will be open again today (Friday) from 12-5 pm as a cooling station.
The William “Hicks” Anderson Community Center in Wilmington will also serve as a cooling center from 2- 8pm, and all five of the City’s swimming pools and seven spray parks will be open.
New Castle County libraries all serve as designated cooling stations during their hours of operation.
In Kent County, the Kent County Library, Smyrna Library, and Harrington Public library will be open as emergency cooling centers during the extreme heat advisory.
In Sussex County, select county facilities are always available as cooling stations in the summer during their regular business hours. The air-conditioned sites include: the County Admin Building, Greenwood Public Library, Milton Public Library, and South Coastal Library.
