Denver rec centers open as cooling stations during high-heat weekend

The City of Denver wants to ensure people can escape the heat during a weekend with temperatures nearing 100 degrees. 

Denver will designate all its currently operating recreation centers as cooling spaces open to the public, since the National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for the Denver region Friday. These spaces are fee-free access to all. 

According to the city's press release, "High temperatures can cause illness, as excessive heat can increase your body's core temperature. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a heat illness happens when your body is unable to dissipate heat effectively. Personal factors, like age, obesity, dehydration, heart disease, poor circulation, sunburn, and prescription drug and alcohol use can all play a role in your body's ability to cool off during hot weather. Those who are at highest risk for heat-related illness include people 65 and older, children younger than two, and people with chronic diseases or mental illness."

Denver also encouraged members of the public to take advantage of the Denver Public Library system, visiting the various locations as another option to avoid the high heat. These are not considered part of the designated cooling stations, and the city noted Central Library, Ross-Cherry Creek Branch Library, and Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library locations are not those available to the public. Finally, the city encouraged anyone seeking a library location as a way to get some relief from the heat to check daily hours, since some locations are closed on Mondays. 

For more information and tips about heat-related illnesses, visit the full press release on the City of Denver's website.