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Beat the Heat – Find a Cooling Center
Monrovia Weekly Jul 13, 2012
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By Susan Motander
Southern California is enduring another of its regular heat waves. Back east when the temperature crawls over the century mark communities often set up Cooling Centers. Here that practice is rare; however there are ways to beat the heat.
As Cesar Monsalve, head of the City of Duarte’s Parks and Recreation Department pointed out the situation in the east is different in that they have a higher humidty factor with which to contend: “Back east they have the heat index to deal with.”
Monsalve did say that while Duarte did not have a formal cooling center, there were plenty of place to cool off in the community. There is the Senior Center at 1610 Duarte Road which normally caters to those over 55. There is also the center at Royal Oaks Park, 2627 Royal Oaks Drive, which is open from noon to 4 p.m. during the summer.
“If some people have a real problem, I’m sure that we could accommodate them at city hall. We have air conditioning, restrooms and drinking fountains,” Monsalve said,
It was the same story in the local cities contacted. The suggestions from Monrovia and Arcadia were of the same nature: Check the hours of the local community centers and libraries.
The Arcadia Community Center is located 375 Campus Drive and the Library at 20 W. Duarte Rd. Monrovia Public Library, 321 S. Myrtle is open Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. The Monrovia Community Center is regularly open 6 days a week. Call the center at 256-8246.
There were other suggestions made from those who had found their own ways to beat the heat. One woman in Pavilion in Monrovia suggested doing shopping in the heat of the day (she was reading a newspaper in the Starbucks section of the grocery store when she made the suggestion).
Perhaps it is just a matter of thinking of a place you like that just happens to be air conditioned. And there is always the beach.
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