Letter: 24 hour cooling centres could save lives

Landlords are unlikely to embrace the idea of a cool room in every unit

Letter: 24 hour cooling centres could save lives Published 2:25 pm Tuesday, July 14, 2026 Re: Cool needed Twenty-four-hour cooling could save lives. Washington and Oregon had far fewer deaths during the heat dome. One reason: they had well-used, 24-hour cooling centres.

People could even bring their dogs. As a senior living in an older, south-facing apartment downtown, I remember wishing our cooling centre was open overnight — that was when I really needed it. Landlords are unlikely to embrace the idea of a cool room in every unit.

But perhaps they could keep at least one communal room in the building cool, available to all. Or regionally, landlords could contribute towards the cost of running a 24-hour cooling centre, and free transportation during extremely hot days, to get everyone there. People in apartment buildings and in neighbourhoods could also organize, to check on elderly or otherwise vulnerable neighbours at least daily, reminding each other to drink enough and monitor how they’re feeling.

Good to know: apparently fans only make us feel cooler, they don’t actually cool us. But besides AC, cool baths or showers, putting on a wet t-shirt, or spraying ourselves with water can help. We need to drink more than normal amounts to replace what’s lost in sweat.

(If you’re not peeing, or it’s dark yellow, you’re likely not drinking enough.) Also, homeless people should be allowed, encouraged and helped to be in shady parks rather than on hot streets. Island Health has one of the highest rates of B.C.’s homeless deaths.

Many can change their lives with the right help — but only if they’re still alive. G. Golightly North Cowichan