Beat the Heat this Week at a City of Kirkland Cooling Center

Published on August 11, 2021

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Media Contact:                                                  
Chris Hendrickson
Web and Multimedia Content Specialist
chendrickson@kirklandwa.gov
425-587-3017

Release updated 1 PM Friday, August 13

KIRKLAND, Wash. – The City of Kirkland is activating cooling centers to help our community members stay safe and cool during this week’s predicted high temperatures. Air-conditioned cooling centers are available 12 to 8 PM Thursday, August 12 and Friday, August 13 at City Hall and the Peter Kirk Community Center (352 Kirkland Ave). Both cooling centers offer a safe, welcoming space, open to any community members and their pets (leashed dogs and crated cats) who need relief from the heat. Additionally, Kirkland City Hall is open as a cooling center from 11 AM to 6:45 PM, Saturday, August 14. 

Please help spread the word! City cooling centers feature socially distanced seating, tables and water. For our City Hall cooling center, please enter at the lower (south) entrance.

Cooling center hours and locations are as follows:

12 PM to 8 PM, Thursday, August 12 at the Peter Kirk Community Center (352 Kirkland Ave)

12 PM to 8 PM, Thursday, August 12 at Kirkland City Hall (123 5th Ave)

12 PM to 8 PM, Friday, August 13 at the Peter Kirk Community Center (352 Kirkland Ave)

12 PM to 8 PM, Friday, August 13 at Kirkland City Hall (123 5th Ave)

11 AM to 6:45 PM, Saturday, August 14 at Kirkland City Hall (123 5th Ave)

Guidelines for City Cooling Centers:

  • Cooling center guests must complete a COVID-19 screening before entering City facilities.
  • Facial coverings will be required indoors.
  • Guests will be asked to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet between themselves and people outside of their household.
  • Leashed dogs and crated cats are permitted, however, pets must be under owner control at all times and any pet-related “accidents” must be cleaned up by the pet owner.

Community members are also encouraged to seek relief from the heat at local restaurants, stores, malls and movie theaters and in shady areas in parks.

To cool off in the water, open swim is available at the Peter Kirk Pool at reduced capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions. Kirkland’s swimming beaches Houghton Beach, Waverly Beach and Juanita Beach have lifeguards on duty, however, Houghton Beach is currently closed due to elevated bacteria levels. Please use caution: Washington waters are often cold enough to cause muscles to cramp or cause cold water shock, even on the hottest summer day. Water safety tips can be found at https://kingcounty.gov/depts/health/violence-injury-prevention/water-safety/swim-safety.aspx.

Remember to stay cool, stay hydrated and always be alert to the signs of heat exhaustion, which include heavy sweating, clammy skin, weak pulse, fainting and vomiting. For a list of cooling centers open in King County and other jurisdictions, visit the King County Office of Emergency Management webpage. For more information about how to stay safe in the hot weather, visit the Public Health – Seattle & King County webpage.

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