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By Victor Kaisar

Heat Plan

Kamloops won’t use large, centralized cooling centres during extreme summer heat waves

May 11, 2025 | 3:19 PM

KAMLOOPS — The City of Kamloops has no plans to open large, centralized cooling facilities at either Sandman Centre or McArthur Island Sport during extreme heat waves this summer.

Instead, it will offer a number of “targeted” programs to help people beat the heat, as part of the city’s gradual move to a more diverse network of cooling options across the community instead of large centralized hubs.

“These centres are expensive in terms of facility and staff costs, underutilized, ineffective as a life-saving strategy, and strain staff capacity,” a report going before Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting said.

In the report, Ty Helgason, the City’s Emergency Preparedness Manager said cooling centres at McArthur Island and Sandman Centre had an average of 17 daily visitors last summer, noting people preferred other cooling options that were offered..

“Free public swimming was the most popular option, increasing the average daily number of swimmers from 300-to-350 up to 600-to-650 during the extreme heat response,” Helgason wrote. He said the extreme heat response plan was in effect between July 5 and 22 as well as August 1 and 4.

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The City’s Heat response plan kicks in when there are two straight days with daytime highs of at least 35 C followed by a nighttime low of at least 18 C.

Helgason said Sandman Centre and McArthur Island were opened as cooling centres based on availability last summer, and noted other cooling options that were offered included free public skating and free seniors’ programming.

New Heat Response Pass Coming

Free public swimming will still be offered this summer, though the City will use a new Heat Response Pass – a low barrier program for residents who do not have a place to cool down.

“The passes will be distributed through local social agencies strategically selected based on geographic and demographic distribution, ensuring that the passes are accessible to various vulnerable populations, like seniors and youth, in different areas of the community,” Helgason wrote in his report.

“To access the pass, residents simply need to connect with one of the distributing agencies and express that they do not have a safe place to cool down.”

He said the new program is being implemented as the free public swimming last year, which was open to everyone, resulted in a “significant budget impact and strain on staffing levels.”

“The intent of this new program is to reduce budget impacts and strain on staffing levels, and to ensure that the free swimming is targeted to heat-vulnerable individuals and families who need a cooling facility,” Helgason wrote.

“The City will also offer free public skating and free seniors programming during heat alert response activations to further ensure that we use existing facilities and programs to provide cooling in various areas of the community.”

Misting stations will also be installed at a number of high-traffic locations to “enhance the City’s cooling response network. Water parks will also be open, while existing drinking fountains and washrooms will offer people a place where they can get potable water.

Other heat response measures

Helgason also said the City’s plan for 2025 will include the promotion of neighbour health checks, expanded community outreach, and better messaging about the heat response plan before, during, and after extreme heat events.

As part of its effort to promote neighbour health checks, the City will engage Interior Health for “key messaging” so people can identify the signs of heat distress. It will also identify “flexible, responsive, and needs-based” transportation options so seniors, people with diverse needs, and those who may be isolated can be taken to a cooling centre.

Community Service Officers will also be tasked with coordinating outreach and response efforts for people on the streets so they can be connected with outreach programs. As they’ve done in years past, CSOs will also hand out water and coordinate transportation so people can be taken to shelters to cool down.

“Information regarding what to do and watch for during extreme heat, available heat relief options, and key messaging will be publicly available on the City’s website, and shared through social media channels during activation,” Helgason wrote.

“Staff continue implementing innovative extreme heat response initiatives in alignment with the 2024 Extreme Heat Response Plan.

You can read Helgason’s entire report here.