Where New Yorkers In Need Can Go To Cool Off

The city is in the midst of a vicious heatwave, and while extra-hot summers aren’t particularly pleasant even without a pandemic, with typical heat-relief spots like movie theaters and indoor restaurants shuttered it’s even harder to cool down when the temperature spikes. Luckily, the city’s Cooling Centers are open (with precautions), and the NYC Emergency Management Department’s launched a handy Cooling Center finder to facilitate quick A/C breaks.

The map-finder tool will point you to one of the more than 200 Cooling Centers open throughout the city, so you can stop by a center near you or pick any spot that’s convenient. (For those offline, you can always call 311 to find the nearest location.) Hours vary and are subject to change daily, so be sure to check the finder for updates.

Here are the Cooling Centers located below Chambers Street: 

—Manhattan Early College School for Advertising (411 Pearl Street)

—Battery Park City School (55 Battery Place)

—Millennium High School (75 Broad Street)

In addition to the Cooling Centers, more than 250 new cooling and misting sites have opened in city parks, and the FDNY and Department of Environmental Protection has installed spray caps on 300-plus fire hydrants. There are also currently eight public pools open citywide, and local parks have spray showers available every day this summer.

photo: iStock