South Niagarans can beat the heat

Air-conditioned buildings can also be local hotspots.

As another heat wave is in the forecast this week for Niagara, various municipal sites will welcome people who need to escape the humidity and cool down for a little while.

In Port Colborne, Vale Centre’s indoor walking track and other amenities will be available for people who want to stay active but not in uncomfortably hot temperatures.

Vale Centre also offers a free water bottle filling station, as does Sugarloaf Marina. If a heat advisory is issued, free bottles of water will be handed out at the public library on King Street.

Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum is another option for people who need to beat the heat, said City of Port Colborne communications officer Michelle Cuthbert.

“You can go into the museum and enjoy some of the exhibits just to get out,” she said.

Nickel Beach and the Discovery Spray Pad at H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park are also options available in Port Colborne.

The City of Welland will post advice to local residents on its website if Niagara Region issues a high heat alert, said Anna Smith, administrative assistant to chief administrative officer Gary Long. Locations for cooling stations and hours of operation for local swimming pools are available at www.welland.ca.

Municipal governments aren’t the only organizations keeping the community in mind when the heat turns up.

Seaway Mall president Mike Belcastro said the shopping centre on Niagara Street in Welland doesn’t turn people away who aren’t there to make a purchase.

“As the weather gets warmer, we can see there are more and more people coming to the mall for exactly that reason,” said Belcastro. “We expect that’s going to happen.”

For information on how to keep cool in Pelham, visit www.pelham.ca.