Seattle Opens More Cooling Centers, Emergency Heat Shelters

SEATTLE — Seattle will operate a handful of cooling centers and emergency heat shelters over the weekend, along with day centers for people experiencing homelessness and six senior centers. The latest efforts to help curb exposure to dangerous temperatures during a potentially historic Pacific Northwest heat wave join an earlier list of air-conditioned libraries, lifeguarded beaches, indoor and outdoor pools and spray parks that will provide relief for thousands this weekend.

As the Seattle Times reports, Seattle remains the nation's least air-conditioned metro area, with just 44.3 percent of homes having central air or window units.

24/7 Emergency Shelter at Seattle Center

Beginning Saturday, Seattle's Human Services Department will open a 24-hour cooling shelter at Seattle Center's Fisher Pavilion to give people experiencing homelessness a place to escape the heat. Officials said Thursday that the shelter, staffed by the Salvation Army, will run in addition to the existing one at Exhibition Hall, with enough space for an extra 73 people. The shelter will be open from Saturday morning through Tuesday morning and will provide each guest with meals.

Day centers

In addition to the Seattle Center space, the city and its outreach partners will deploy for welfare checks, handing out water and other supplies for unsheltered people. In North Seattle, the Lake City Community Center will be open for extended hours on Saturday and Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Other days centers include:

• Community Drop-In Center (Seattle Indian Center), 1265 S Main St suite 105
• Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Monday – Friday/ 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday – Sunday (NEW EXTENDED HOURS)
• God’s Lil Acre, 12521 33rd Ave NE
• Hours: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. & 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.; Monday – Friday
• Immanuel Community Services, 1215 Thomas St
• Hours: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Monday – Friday
• The Salvation Army Jefferson Day Center, 4th Ave & Jefferson Street
• Hours: 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.; 7 days-a-week
• Peter’s Place/Compass Hygiene Center, 77 S Washington St
• Hours: 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Monday – Friday
• Urban Rest Stop – Ballard, 2014-B NW 57th St
• Hours: 6:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.; Monday – Friday
• Urban Rest Stop -Downtown,1924 Ninth Avenue
• Hours: 5:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.; Mon. – Fri./ 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Sat. -Sun.
• Women’s Day Center, 1830 9th Ave
• Hours: 7am -3:30pm; Monday – Friday/ 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Saturday

Senior centers

The city is also using its Aging and Disability Services team to check in on older adults and distribute fans. Two senior centers will have weekend hours.

• Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N 85th St
• Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday – Friday
• Phone: 206-297-0875
• Pike Market Senior Center, 85 Pike St, Suite 200
• Hours: 8:20 a.m. to 1 p.m.; 7 days-a-week
• Phone: 206-728-2773
• Senior Center of West Seattle, 4217 SW Oregon St
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Monday – Friday
• Phone: 206-932-4044
• Southeast Seattle Senior Center, 4655 South Holly St
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Monday – Friday/ 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.; Sunday (NEW EXTENDED HOURS)
• Phone: 206-722-0317
• Central Area Senior Center, 500 30th Ave S
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday
• Phone: 206-726-4926
• Wallingford Community Senior Center, 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Ste 140
• Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday
• Phone: 206-461-7825

Seattle parks and utility crews are also working to restore more of the city's public water fountains, which were shut off during the pandemic. The city said Thursday that 90 fountains were working, and crews would work to bring back more in time for the heat event.

Local partnerships

Another option for cooling off is at local malls and movie theaters, including Pacific Place downtown and Northgate Station in North Seattle. At Pacific Place, the city announced a few perks available for those looking to cool off, including:

• AMC: Unlimited popcorn refills through Wednesday, June 30
• AT&T: Buy two accessories, get one free
• Aveda: Free liter of hand and body wash with $125 purchase through Sunday, June 27
• Bezel & Kiln: Free gift with $50 purchase
• Ghost Gallery: 10% off all purchases
• The Handmade Showroom: Free gift with $20 purchase
• Pike Place Chowder: 10% off chilled gazpacho

Libraries, beaches, pools and more

More than a dozen of Seattle's library branches will be open at 50 percent capacity at different points over the weekend, giving another air-conditioned option to escape the afternoon heat, along with dozens of beaches, spray parks and pools.

Learn more: 29 Seattle Pools, Beaches And Spray Parks Are Open This Weekend