UPDATE July 9 10:20 a.m. – As first reported by Radio NL, the City of Kamloops has confirmed plans to open a centralized cooling centre at the NHL rink at the McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre, starting today, July 9.

It says it is able to open the cooling centre between 12 noon and 8 p.m. every day of the heat wave because of a “decreased need” for the facility.

Based on current forecasts, the McArthur Island cooling centre is expected to stay open until at least Friday, as per the heat protocol rules the City is obliged to operate under.

“Residents are encouraged to check on their neighbours who may have heat sensitivity or vulnerability,” the city said, in a statement. “Prolonged periods of extreme heat can lead to severe illness and death. Heat can affect anyone, but some individuals are more susceptible.”

The opening of the North Kamloops facility – which has been used as the reception centre for evacuees in the past – comes as the Sandman Centre is not available as its the venue for the 2024 ScotDance Canada Championship Series, which is scheduled to wrap up on Thursday, July 11.

“If an Emergency Support Services reception centre is activated this week, the cooling centre could be closed to accommodate evacuees,” the City statement added.

Radio NL has also learned that if there is another heat wave or a smoky skies advisory issued in Kamloops this summer, the City plans to return to using Sandman Centre as the designated civic facility where people can seek shelter from the elements.

If its feasible though, the City will use both Sandman Centre and McArthur Island as cooling centres so people have options for respite on both sides of the Thompson River. The City will also be billing the province to cover eligible costs to run these facilities.

The longer term plan – as Emergency Preparedness Manager Ty Helgason told Radio NL last week – is to move cooling centres from centralized locations like arenas to neighbourhood-level community centres so people don’t have to travel as much to seek relief from the elements.

“That might be smaller-scale indoor cooling centers. But that could also just mean building more livable spaces,” Helgason said.

“We found that the centralized indoor cooling centres present challenges in terms of folks still getting back to their houses while they’re warm, so the effects of the cooling centre not having those positive benefits.”

At this time though, it is unclear when that transition will take place, and which neighbourhood facilities will be utilized.

Kamloops cooling options slowly becoming available

The opening of the McArthur Island cooling centre comes as the City and the ASK Wellness Society have partnered on a new emergency heat response initiative so vulnerable people have a place to cool down during this ongoing heat wave.

As has been the case during previous heat waves in Kamloops, Community Services Officers will be making the rounds to ensure that people experiencing homelessness have bottled water and access to transportation to shelters through the Envision shuttle program.

“They’ll be coordinating outreach efforts and some response, and working closely with the other outreach and support agencies in the community to ensure that we are touching base with those folks that are out there,” Helgason added.

Public swimming is free at all public pools in Kamloops this week, with City water parks already open for people looking to find outdoor relief. The Thompson-Nicola Regional District also says people can also stop by their local library branch to cool down.

The Loop drop-in centre is also operating as a cooling centre for people in need.

Heat protocols are activated in Kamloops where there are two straight days with daytime highs of at least 35 C followed by a nighttime low of at least 18 C.

“In the event that a heat warning has been issued, our wish is that residents can work together to ensure that family members, friends, and neighbours have someone that will reach out to them to check in on their well-being,” Helgason said in a City statement last week.

“The City is committed to doing the best we can to share information from our partners to educate and inform our residents on how they can best prepare for potential extreme heat this summer.”

For more on the heat response plan in Kamloops, go here.