Last week’s heat prompted several cities in B.C. to open cooling centres to provide some recourse to residents as temperatures rose, Dawson Creek was the only city in the Peace Region to open one of these facilities.
Environment Canada issued a heat warning for the northeast pocket of the province from July 30 to August 1, the city of Dawson Creek opened a cooling centre during this period. Dawson Creek’s Mayor Darcy Dober said the city’s policy is to open hubs, for warming or cooling, anytime a warning is issued by the governmental agency,
“These are considered emergencies, extreme weather events – so, any extreme weather events could activate them, but obviously the high, extreme heat, and the cold are the two most common,” said Dober.
Residents were able to access the cooling centre, located at the Nawican Bergeron Youth and Culture Centre, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dober said peoples’ reactions were generally positive.
The downtown centre is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the cooling centres when called upon by their partners at the city of Dawson Creek.
Other cities in the Peace, such as Fort St John, advised residents to seek out city facilities for air conditioning, but did not establish a formal cooling centre, Dober said Dawson Creek opts to dedicate the Nawican as the cooling centre to lessen the strain on other establishments.
“One of the reasons why we do partnership with the Nawican is because they have a facility, but it also takes the pressure off of other facilities if you guide to one facility,” explained Dober.
Ultimately, Dober said, Dawson Creek considers cooling, and warming, centres essential for their residents and will continue to make them available when Environment Canada deems the weather extreme.
“I think cooling centres are essential,” he began, “It’s for anybody that needs it, it’s not just vulnerable people that are maybe on the streets – it could be seniors, it could be anybody that need access to that. When we get those extreme hot days, it can be extremely hot, even in your home.”
During extreme heat, Environment Canada advises people who live in homes without air conditioning to try no-cook recipes, close their blinds to block the sun, and to seek out cooler place, especially if they are beginning to feel nauseous, dizzy, or any other symptom of heat illness.
