Cooling centers help Minnesotans without air conditioning beat the heat
MINNEAPOLIS — The heat can't be ignored on Monday.
"We are slowing down our pace a little bit, but we're doing OK," Paul Burke said in the middle of his walk around Lake Harriet.
An excessive heat warning is consuming much of the state on Monday.
"I mean it's like a sauna," Beth Kalin said. "You don't have to get in the sauce, you're in the sauna."
While the heat index made it well into the 100s, it didn't stop some Minnesotans from getting their steps — or laps in.
"It's heating up," Greg Shobert said after his swim across Lake Harriet. "It's nice to be in the cool water, splashing around."
Between sunbathing and beaching, a place to cool off was a need in the sweltering sun.
"Luckily I have air conditioning at home that I can go home to," Kalin said. "That's a huge benefit that I'm grateful for."
But for folks who don't have the benefit of air conditioning, the Salvation Army says it's ready to help. The nonprofit is offering up 10 cooling centers around the metro.
"If you want to stop in, have some conversation, have some nice community and stay cool, of course, that's the place to do it," Captain Ross Anderson said.
The following service centers will be open during business hours Monday through Friday:
- Salvation Army Temple: 1604 E. Lake St., Minneapolis
- Salvation Army Parkview: 2024 Lyndale Ave. N., Minneapolis
- Salvation Army Noble: 10011 Noble Pkwy., Brooklyn Park
- Salvation Army Eastside: 1019 Payne Ave., St. Paul
- Salvation Army Citadel: 401 West 7th St., St. Paul
- Salvation Army Lakewood: 2080 Woodlynn Ave., St. Paul
- Salvation Army Central: 2727 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis
- Salvation Army Anoka County Service Center: 1201 89th Ave. NE, Suite 130, Blaine
- Salvation Army Dakota County Service Center: Prince of Peace Church, 13801 Fairview Dr., Burnsville
- Salvation Army Harbor Lights Center: 1010 Currie Ave., Minneapolis
Due to the excessive heat, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board closed multiple non-air-conditioned recreation centers Monday afternoon. Those centers are expected to reopen at noon on Tuesday. There are 30 recreation centers with air conditioning that remain open for regular hours.