The city of Sacramento will open two cooling centers on Monday to help residents cope with a Memorial Day weekend heatwave that’s expected to bring triple-digit temperatures to the region Sunday through Tuesday.
The centers will open at:
- Hagginwood Community Center at 3271 Marysville Blvd.
- Hart Senior Center at 915 27th St.
Each center will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday.
The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat watch for Sunday afternoon into Tuesday evening. It said temperatures in the Sacramento area will range from the upper 90s to 109 degrees this weekend, with Monday being the hottest day. Cooling of a few degrees is expected on Tuesday and Wednesday.
https://twitter.com/NWSSacramento/status/1398398682421137418
“We are monitoring the weather and working closely with our community center and parks staff to prepare for the heat,” Jeanelle Gottlob, program manager for the city’s Office of Emergency Management, said in a press release. “City staff is on standby through the holiday weekend to prepare and adapt should extended operations be needed.”
All attendees at the cooling centers will be required to wear a mask or face covering to protect themselves and others against the spread of COVID-19, according to the press release. If an individual does not have a mask, one will be provided for them.
For years, advocates for the region’s homeless residents have urged city and county leaders to open emergency shelters throughout the year, not just when temperatures reach their most severe levels.
Those calls intensified this winter after several unhoused Sacramento residents died during a violent wind and rain storm that downed trees, power lines and destroyed tent encampments.
In a separate press release, Sacramento County officials said they plan to distribute motel vouchers to homeless residents starting on Friday to provide shelter ahead of the hot weather. The county works with homeless outreach partners to identify those with the greatest need for vouchers, such as unhoused families and those who are elderly or sick.
The vouchers will be distributed as part of the county’s severe weather sheltering program, which “will remain active until Wednesday morning when temperatures are projected to drop measurably – both daytime and overnight,” the county release said.
Sacramento Water Splash Pads
City officials listed one more way to beat the heat: Water splash pads.
They said splash pads are open this weekend at 12 city parks, and the Clunie Pool (601 Alhambra Blvd.) will be open Monday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is $2 for youth, $4 for adults. Capacity is limited.
Below are the water splash pads that will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.:
- Magnolia Park - 251 Greg Thatch Circle
- Witter Ranch Park - 3795 Saintsbury Drive
- Golden Poppy Park - 5765 Tres Pieza Drive
- Valley Oak Park - 2780 Mabry Drive
- Wild Rose Park - 5200 Kanksakee Drive
- Natomas Regional Park - 4989 Natomas Blvd.
- Jefferson - 1990 Roma Court
- Shasta - 7407 Imagination Parkway
- McClatchy – 3500 5th Ave.
- Oki - 2715 Wisseman Drive
- Artivio Guerrero - 6000 61st St.
- Muir - 1515 C St.
In addition, the city said most Sacramento libraries will also be open during normal business hours, though with limited occupancy. Check the city’s library website for details.
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