With the area in the midst of a heat warning, Waterloo Region has announced that two of its cooling centres will be open for extended hours for the remainder of the week.
The cooling space at 150 Main St. in Cambridge will stay open until 6 p.m., while another at 150 Frederick St. in Kitchener will remain open until 9 p.m. on Wednesday and 5:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.
The region says the building in Cambridge will begin opening on weekends for the summer as well as on holidays on Saturday, while the Kitchener location will open for summer hours the following Saturday.
There are a number of other cooling locations available throughout the region with a list of spaces available on the region’s website.
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The City of Kitchener is also offering up its community centres as cooling centres for those who need to escape the heat.
Lyle Hallman pool is also open until 9 p.m. during the heat event and most splashpads are open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., although they do not offer air conditioning.
It is a similar story in Waterloo as the city’s facilities are open to the public during business hours and the city’s splashpads are also available for use.
Environment Canada issued an extreme heat warning for a large portion of southern Ontario on Sunday afternoon, which is expected to last through Friday.
The area is expected to continue to see daytime temperatures of between 30 C and 35 C, with the humidex making it feel above 40. There is not expected to be any respite at nighttime as overnight lows are not likely to go below 20 C.
The agency warns that people should drink water regularly, even if they are not thirsty, in an effort to avoid dehydration.
“Watch for the effects of heat illness: swelling, rash, cramps, fainting, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and the worsening of some health conditions,” the alert warns.
It also notes that the risks are greater for older adults, infants and young children as well as those who are pregnant or are dealing with disability or mobility issues.
On Wednesday, the Waterloo Region District School Board said it was continuing to monitor conditions at area schools with the help of public health.
“Staff have been provided with information and guidance to help them continue to support student learning, while mitigating the impact of high temperatures,” a release noted.
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