Environment Canada has declared a heat warning, and the City of Windsor is opening a temporary cooling centre for residents unable to find relief from the heat at home or by using one of the eight city splash pads or Sandpoint Beach.
Effective today, Tuesday, June 29, 2021, the atrium of the Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre (WIATC) Presented by WFCU Credit Union at 401 Pitt Street West will open as a temporary cooling centre.
City staff will be on site to assist those attending the location. Tables and chairs will be set up to ensure physical distancing requirements are met. Advance COVID related screening of all visitors will be in effect upon entry, and masks are mandatory for all attendees. In an effort to ensure physical distancing can be adhered to, it is asked that residents attend this site only if they have no other options.
Attendees are welcome to bring food or reading materials, as none are currently available on site. The centre will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is scheduled to remain open daily until the heat warning is lifted.
As an additional reminder, the H4 (Housing, Homelessness Help Hub) day program at Windsor Water World remains open and available for individuals in our community who are experiencing homelessness. This location, while providing shelter from the heat, also allows for more physical distancing within our shelter system. The program is open, with capacity limits, seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For information and tips on beating the heat, please visit the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit’s Stay Cool, Beat the Heat web page. Please remember to check on elderly or vulnerable individuals you know who are more susceptible to the heat during these extreme weather conditions.
For more safety tips and practices, visit the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit website. For more information on municipal matters related to COVID-19, visit CityWindsor.ca/covid-19.