PETERS: Keeping people cool ain’t what it used to be

When Sandman Centre was busy hosting a dance competition last July, the city turned to the McArthur Island Sports Centre.

Neither of those options is ideal. A person suffering on the North Shore is not likely to be convinced to head all the way over the river to find a place to cool off — and vice versa.

The numbers bear that out. The city says only 17 people visited the cooling centres per day they were open. That has planners looking for less expensive, more effective options.

In years past, we wouldn’t have given much thought to cooling centres — certainly, not as much as we gave to warm shelters during the winter.

People who could get to pools or beaches would spend all day in the water.

As for seniors in non-air-conditioned units? They would either visit friends or relatives with cool homes or, sadly, they would expire of heat-related illnesses and the rest of us might write it off as simply the reality of being elderly.

In more recent years, as climate change made heatwaves more extreme and as swimming areas became more crowded, communities determined they needed dedicated options for keeping people cool.

Rather than the big arenas this year, the city is going with more community-based options spread throughout the city.

If more private homeowners and business owners can supplement the city’s efforts by opening their own doors to those who need help, that will also be crucial.

After all, a community is far more than its municipal government.

In theory, that should be more effective and maybe we can ensure no one has to die in the heat this summer, but the proof will be in the pudding. Or, perhaps, in the melted ice cream.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.

by James Peters

PETERS: Keeping people cool ain’t what it used to be

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