Amid the heat wave, many neighborhoods have set up cooling centers for their residents.
Mayor Michelle Wu declared a heat emergency in Boston from Tuesday through Thursday this week. In addition, she announced 16 cooling centers located in community buildings. Other places to stay cool include 21 pools and splash pads operated by the city and state-owned pools.
“Having a fun and safe summer together here in Boston requires our community to come together to take necessary precautions to stay safe from extreme heat,” said Wu, in the announcement. “Heat waves are a risk to our community, so everyone should make sure to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activity when possible, wear plenty of sunscreen, and check on your neighbors and loved ones.”
Many communities in and around Greater Boston have shared information about cooling centers for their residents. Here's a list of some places to beat the heat this week:
Acton
The Acton Public Safety Facility, located at 371 Main St. will be open 24/7.
On Thursday:
- The Acton Memorial Library, located at 482 Main St., will be open from 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
- The Human Resources and Senior Center, located at 472 Main St., will be open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Belmont
The Belmont Media Center, located at 9 Lexington St., will be open through Friday from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
The Beech Street Center, located at 266 Beech St., will be open Thursday, from 8 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. and Friday, from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Braintree
Town Hall, located at 1 John F. Kennedy Memorial Dr., will be operating as a cooling station through Friday, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The Watson Park Splash Pad will also be open. Public buildings, like the library and senior center on are open as well.
Brookline
The Brookline Public Safety Building Community Room, located at 350 Washington St., will be open 24/7.
On Wednesday only, the Florida Ruffin Ridley School, located at 345 Harvard St., will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Brookline Senior Center, located at 93 Winchester St., will be open Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Three Brookline public libraries will be open Thursday:
- Main Branch, located at 351 Washington St., from 10 a.m.- 9 p.m.
- Coolidge Corner Branch, located at 31 Pleasant St., from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
- Putterham Branch, located at 959 West Roxbury Parkway, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Additionally, water play areas in parks and playgrounds are open and available from dawn to dusk. The Evelyn Kirrane Aquatics Center, located at 60 Tappan St., open to Brookline residents free of charge for open swimming only during designated hours while a heat emergency is in effect.
Boston
Mayor Wu announced that 15 Boston Center for Youth and Families community buildings will act as cooling centers from 9 a.m. – 5p.m. throughout the week.
- Brighton: Veronica Smith Senior Center, located at 20 Chestnut Hill Ave.
- Charlestown: BCYF Gibbons, located at 382 Main St.
- Chinatown: Wang YMCA of Chinatown, located at 8 Oak Street West
- Dorchester:
- BCYF Grove Hall Senior Center, located at 51 Geneva Ave.
- BCYF Holland, located at 85 Onley St.
- East Boston: BCYF Paris Street, located at 112 Paris St.
- Jamaica Plain: BCYF Curtis Hall, located at 20 South St.
- Mattapan: BCYF Gallivan, located at 61 Woodruff Way
- North End: BCYF Nazzaro, located at 30 North Bennet St.
- Roslindale: BCYF Roslindale, located at 6 Cummins Highway
- Roxbury:
- BCYF Tobin, located at 1481 Tremont St.
- BCYF Vine Street, located at 338 Dudley St.
- Shelburne: BCYF Shelburne, located at 2730 Washington St.
- South Boston: BCYF Curley, located at 1663 Columbia Road
- West Roxbury: BCYF Roche, located at 1716 Centre St.
Additionally, Boston Public Library locations are available on Thursday.
Chelsea
The Chelsea Senior Center at 10 Riley Way and Chelsea Public Library at 569 Broadway will be open to the public as cooling centers during regular business hours.
Water spray or splash pads are available at Highland Park, Willow Street; Voke Park, Washington Avenue; Creekside Common, Gilooly Street; O'Neil Park, Beacon Street; Eden Street Park, Addison & Blossom Streets; Quigley Park, Essex Street; Ruiz Park, Washington Avenue; Box District Park, Liberty Street; Mary C Burke Complex, Crescent Avenue; Port Park, Marginal Street.
Hingham
The Center for Active Living, located at 224 Central St., will be open Thursday, from 8:30 – 4 p.m. and Friday, from 8:30 – 1 p.m.
The Hingham Public Library, located at 656 Leavitt St., will be open Thursday, from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
The South Shore Country Club, located at 274 South St., will be open through Friday, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Hudson
The Senior Center located at 29 Church St. will be open through Friday.
Manchester
Town buildings will be open during regular hours for residents:
- Weiss Center, located at 479 Main St., will be open through Friday, from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Senior Center, located at 549 Middle Turnpike E, will be open through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- Mary Cheney Library, located at 586 Main St. will be open through Saturday. (Weekday hours are 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.; weekend hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
- Manchester Police Department Lobby is available 24/7.
- Whiton Branch Library, located at 100 North Main St., will be open through Thursday from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Friday, from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Maynard
The Maynard Town Hall, located at 195 Main St. in the lower-level Campbell Room is open Thursday, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Friday, from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Additionally, both the police and fire department’s training rooms will be available daily through Friday.
Nashua, NH
The Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter, located at 2 Quincy St., will be open through Friday, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. The Pheasant Lane Mall, located at 310 Daniel Webster Highway will be open through Friday, from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. The Nashua YMCA, located at 24 Stadium Dr., will be open through Friday, from 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. The Nashua Senior Activity Center, located at 70 Temple St., will be open Wednesday, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., and Friday, from 9 a.m. - n1 p.m. The Nashua Public Library, located at 2 Court St. will be open Thursday, from 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Additionally, the following pools will be open from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. during the heat wave:
- Centennial Pool, located at 24 Sargents Ave.
- Crown Hill Pool, located at 27A Burke St.
- Rotary Pool and Wading Pool, located at 37 Blanchard St.
- Greeley Park and Wading Pool, located at 100 Concord St.
Needham
The Charles River YMCA, located at 380 Chestnut St., will be open through Friday from 5:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. The Center at the Heights Senior Center, located at 300 Hillside Ave., will be open on Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. - 8 p.m., and Friday, from 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Needham Library, located at 1139 Highland Ave., will be open Thursday, from 9 a.m. - 9 p.m., and Friday, from 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Newton
The Newton Free Library, located at 330 Homer St., will be open Thursday, from 9 a.m. – 11 p.m. and Friday, from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. The library will be closed on June 19, in observance of the holiday.
The Newton Senior Center, located at 20 Hartford St., will be open on Thursday and Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The center will also be closed on June 19.
Two movie theaters, Showcase SuperLux, located at 55 Boylston St. and the West Newton Cinema, located at 1296 Washington St., will both serve as cooling centers for the town. And The Shops at Chestnut Hill will be open through Friday, from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Revere
Revere will have a cooling station open on the American Legion law at 249 Broadway on Thursday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. They’ll have misting fans, ice water, sun screen and shade.
Scituate
The Senior Center, located at 1315 Chopmist Hill Rd., will be open June 19 as a cooling center only, while Town Hall and the Library will be closed.
Somerville
The Somerville public library locations will be open to cool off during regular business hours on Thursday and Friday. On Wednesday, the East Branch at 115 Broadway will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. - all other locations will be closed in observance of Juneteenth.
Seniors can visit the Somerville Council on Aging's Holland Street Center on Thursday and Friday.
Worcester
St. Xavier Center, located at 20 Temple St., will be open Wednesday, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The Worcester Senior Center, located at 128 Providence St., will be open Thursday and Friday, from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The Worcester Public Library Main Branch, located at 3 Salem Square, will be open Thursday and Friday, from 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
South High Community School, located at 170 Apricot St., will be open Thursday and Friday, from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
