The city’s 2200 Ashland St. property is not available this summer
By Morgan Rothborne, Ashland.news
The city’s 2200 Ashland St. property will not be available as a cooling shelter this summer. Instead, the city hopes to partner with other organizations to stand up shelter as needed, according to information from city Communications Officer Dorinda Cottle.
“The city is actively looking for a community partner to open a cooling/smoke shelter this summer,” Cottle said in an email.
Those interested in offering a space with capacity for shelter should contact either City Manager Sabrina Cotta’s office at 541-488-6002 or Emergency Management Coordinator Kelly Burns at 541-552-2299, Burns said in an email.
“The city wants a clean, safe, accessible space that can be staffed with well-trained hosts who have capacity to perform cooling center operations safely and efficiently for any who need shelter from our hot days and nights,” Burns said.
The building at 2200 Ashland St. will not be in use because it needs to undergo significant renovations in order to meet fire code restrictions. Work is scheduled to be complete by late fall, Cottle said.
The city is creating another ad-hoc committee to continue planning and recommendations for the site, Cottle said. The focus of the committee is available on the city’s website. The deadline to apply to serve on the committee is June 15.
Ashland.news reported on a previous ad-hoc committee creating a master plan for the site last November after months of meetings.
Cottle said the city plans to open a smoke shelter when the air quality index reaches 150 more and a cooling shelter when temperatures reach 95 degrees or more, depending on other factors such as humidity and overnight temperatures. The thresholds are set by City Resolution 2022-33. The plans are dependent on resources allowing the city to provide shelter, Cottle said.
Ashland residents are advised to take refuge from heat waves within the city’s 19 parks or 600 acres of park land, including open space, Cottle said. People may be able cool off at the wading pond and swim reservoir in Lithia Park, at the Daniel Meyer Pool in Hunter Park and the splash pad at Garfield Park. The Ashland Library, at 410 Siskiyou Blvd., is another option when it’s open. Park maps showing where people might find shade and water can be found on the city’s website.
Additional resources to monitor potential heat waves can be found at ready.gov/heat or the National Weather Service website.
To receive notifications about when a Severe Weather Shelter is activated, text 97520SHELTER to 888777. The number will provide alerts if a shelter is operated by the city or a partner, Cottle said.
Email Ashland.news reporter Morgan Rothborne at morganr@ashland.news.
