As the season’s first serious heat wave arrives, the city of Los Angeles is extending hours at several senior and recreation centers in the hottest neighborhoods as “cooling centers.”
Two centers in the San Fernando Valley will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday:
- Canoga Park Senior Citizen Center (7326 Jordan Ave., Canoga Park, 91303)
- North Hollywood Senior Citizen Center (5301 Tujunga Ave., North Hollywood, 91601)
On Thursday and Friday, two more centers will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.:
- Pecan Recreation Center (145 S. Pecan St., Boyle Heights)
- Algin Sutton Recreation Center (8800 S. Hoover St., South L.A.)
However, any public place — including libraries, community centers, pools and splash pads — are considered “cooling centers,” said Marta Segura, the city’s chief heat officer.
Why it matters
Temperatures are expected to be up to 15 degrees above normal for this time of year — in the high 90s and low 100s across much of Southern California — through at least the weekend.
L.A. County defines “extreme heat events” as three or more consecutive days with temperatures above 90 degrees. On such days, there are 1,177 excess emergency room visits in L.A. due to heat illness, according to research from UCLA…