The City of Delta has activated its Heat Response Plan as temperatures in the community soar into the mid-30s.
Following Environment Canada’s heat warning issued Monday morning (July 25), the city activated Stage 1 of the plan, which includes disseminating information about how to stay safe in the heat — available at delta.ca/beattheheat — and a list of air-conditioned facilities where residents can cool off. As well, the city is now staffing its Beat the Heat hotline: 604-946-3200.
“City staff will be co-ordinating with community partners on available services and resources to support unsheltered and vulnerable individuals in Delta during this period of increased temperatures,” the city said in a press release Monday afternoon.
The current heat wave is expected to last through the week, with forecasted daytime temperatures of 31-35 C inland and 25-29 C near the water.
Cooling centres for Stage 1 heat warnings include the North Delta Recreation Centre (11415 84th Ave., open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday), Sungod Recreation Centre (7815 112th St., open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday) and the Kennedy Seniors’ Recreation Centre (11760 88th Ave., open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday).
The George Mackie Library (8440 112th St.) is also a Stage 1 cooling centre, however is closed until Aug. 8 for construction. After that, the library will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Residents can also cool down at the North Delta Outdoor Pool, located at the North Delta Recreation Centre, or at the Annieville Lions Water Park (9150 112th St.). The outdoor pool 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday (plus from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday) and 12 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and the water park runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
If the heat warning criteria continue to be met over the next few days — where there is a substantive increase in temperatures over three or more consecutive days— the City of Delta will activate Stage 2 of its heat response plan and issue an Extreme Heat Emergency alert.
At that point, three of Delta’s cooling centres (Kennedy and McKee seniors’ recreation centres and KinVillage Community Centre) and the Beat the Heat hotline will transition to 24/7 operations, with seniors busses available to transport residents to air-conditioned facilities.
editor@northdeltareporter.com
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