Summer in the city: Some residents resort to libraries, pools and rec centers to cool off

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6 hours ago

In preparation for this week's heat wave, the City of Cincinnati encouraged residents to take advantage of recreation centers, YMCA locations, and public libraries to stay cool and hydrated in the dangerous temperatures.
So far, the region is under a heat advisory until 8 p.m. Wednesday, with temperatures rising above 100.
On Sunday, June 22, public pools were packed, with Hirsch and Oakley pools reaching capacity, according to Chris Pike a spokesperson for the Cincinnati Recreation Commission. Five pools are also free this summer for children 17 and under: Bond Hill, Filson, Hanna, Millvale, and Hirsch.
On Saturday, due to the heat, the recreation commission decided to bring in additional staff and open the Lincoln and Bush Recreation Centers on Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. "More folks tend to be at the centers like Lincoln, which are closer to downtown, the central business district and such."
Pike said there will be discussions to open the two recreation centers next weekend as well, depending on how long this heat wave lasts.
Pike said the commission no longer operates the Over-The-Rhine recreation center, and that it is currently not operational as a cooling center due to the Findlay community center being built.
"Folks who were in that mix have gone to Lincoln or Bush if they were on the East Side of the city."
For Cincinnati Recreation Center updates, view its social media pages on Facebook and Twitter, or visit the website.
More: Hamilton County urges residents to be prepared as 'dangerously hot days' are ahead
The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library isn't officially a cooling center, but it is used to beat the heat. Especially the main branch.
According to the library's spokesperson there were 2,118 visits to the main branch on Monday, June 23, a 21.6 percent jump from Monday, June 16. Across all branches, there was a 2.5 percent increase in visits compared to the prior Monday.
Some people at the main branch of the Cincinnati & Hamilton Public Library feel the loss of the Over-The-Rhine cooling centers, saying there used to be more options in downtown neighborhoods.
Jeremy Harris is homeless and said he usually goes into the library when it gets hot. "I'll stop for a few minutes and charge my phone. There are not too many places where you can stop and get away from the heat for a minute," Harris said. "It's always friendly for the most part and cool."
Marlon Spivey has been out of a job for a few weeks, and it's been a few months since he's been without a home. "I like it here, sometimes. These guards follow me around even though I'm not doing nothing but sitting here. It's not all of them," Spivey said.
To stay out of the heat, Spivey said other people will go to Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen and Social Center at 1730 Race St, to get something to eat and then leave for the main library branch once the kitchen closes in the afternoon.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has been giving away air conditioning units to people in need for decades now. You can sign up for a unit if you are a Hamilton County resident who is 65 or older or has health conditions.
Last year, the charity's spokesperson Kaytlynd Lainhart said they donated 720 units. This year, 1,000 people have already signed up for an AC unit and there is already a waitlist.
Carla Auer has severe asthma, heart issues, and is a cancer survivor. She said the inside of her house feels like 150 degrees. Her son, who has epilepsy, has a window unit in his bedroom, but Auer said it's barely enough to cool that room completely. Before picking up her unit, she had been having severe asthmatic attacks.
'Times are hard on me right now. I just want to thank everybody cause I really needed this AC. I got a hold of my doctor last week and she said, 'this is serious, this is an emergency.''
So far, St. Vincent has raised $33,975. The charity's goal is to raise $110,000 to pay for the units it has already promised.
'We're all a couple life situations away from needing help,' Lainhart said, encouraging people to donate to St. Vincent if they can. Each AC unit costs $150. 'That $150 not only could keep them cool but it could save their life in these conditions.'
Josh Spring, director of the Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition, emphasized it's important that people without access to their own home utilize the cooling centers and places like Our Daily Bread.
"People don't pay anything there, and they serve breakfast and lunch," he said. "Our Daily Bread is one of our member organizations that provides a hospitality service, and, you know, is a very necessary place for a lot of people.
"It remains to be seen exactly what the effect of all the heat will be. Unfortunately, we know that on average across the country, homelessness decreases the lifespan by 25 years, so some of the cause of that is because of days like today and folks regularly being exposed to extreme temperatures, whether they be cold or hot," Spring said.
Every December, the homeless coalition honors the folks who have died because of homelessness. In 2024, Spring said the group honored 150 people, although he believes that, due to miscommunication, that number could be closer to 200. According to Spring, the youngest person the group has honored in recent years was just shy of three months old.
Spring said the coalition has seen significant increases in the number of individuals and families with children staying outdoors and in cars.
"Those numbers are increasing because there are fewer and fewer affordable housing options for people," he said. He added that there's simply not enough affordable housing.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati can turn to libraries, pools and rec centers in heat wave