With record-breaking heat hitting Kitimat this week, the district has set up a cooling centre at Tamitik Arena, where residents can find relief from the heat from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily until Sunday, August 31.
The District said the decision comes after a week of record-high temperatures, raising concerns about vulnerable residents like the elderly, children, and those without air conditioning.
Walsham Tenshak, the District’s Director of Economic Development, said protecting the community was the priority.
“Our primary concern was public health and safety,” she said.
The District chose Tamitik Arena after looking at which spaces could work best as a cooling centre. The arena is spacious, easy to locate, and already familiar to the majority of members of the community. It also stays cool because of the ice surface, which makes it a natural fit for this kind of use.
Tenshak said that comfort and accessibility were key.
“It’s a central, accessible facility that can safely accommodate a large number of people. The familiarity of the venue also helps residents feel more comfortable using the service.”
The District added that extreme heat is becoming more and more common in Kitimat as weather patterns change. They stressed the importance of public spaces where people who do not have in-home cooling can go. Tenshak said that kind of service can make all the difference.
“We’re seeing more frequent and intense heat events,” she said. “Not everyone has access to adequate cooling at home, so having a designated public space can make a critical difference.”
Looking ahead, the District is treating this week as the start of a longer-term plan. Officials said they intend to refine the process based on community feedback, to offer cooling centres whenever extreme heat returns.
Tenshak said it’s part of being ready for the future. “This is a proactive step to ensure public safety in a changing climate,”.
Along with the cooling centre, other public spaces like the Visitor Centre, Riverlodge Recreation Centre, the library, and the museum are also available as places to escape the sun, along with shaded parks and wading pools.
For more information on the current Heat Warning, residents are encouraged to visit the Emergency Info BC website.
