With another heat wave set to hit this week, the City of Chilliwack is opening the doors to its cooling centres.
Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a warning for Wednesday and Thursday (Aug. 17-18), calling for daytime temperatures between 29 and 35C. Even in the early morning, temps are expected to hover between 16 and 18C.
Anyone wanting to beat the heat on either day can flee inside to the Slesse Room at Evergreen Hall (9291 Corbould Street), which will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
On the south side, the lobby of sheet three at the Sardis Sports Complex at 5725 Tyson Road will be open the same hours.
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Pets that are crated or controlled on a short leash are welcome at the cooling centres. Filtered water fountains and bottled water will be available at both locations, but people are asked to bring their own water bottles to use at the touchless, sensor-activated bottle filler.
The cooling centres are part of the response following the 2021 heat dome, which led to the development of a BC Provincial Heat and Response Alert System (BC HARS). Under this plan, local health authorities are to be prepared for the public health risks posed by extreme heat.
In the Chilliwack region, Fraser Health issues a heat alert, triggering emergency response measures, when two or more consecutive days of daytime maximum temperatures are expected to reach 33C or warmer and nighttime minimum temperatures are expected to remain at 17C or warmer.