As Wichita continues to experience extreme heat this week, the city has designated public cooling centers and is offering free bus rides to get there.
Wichita recreation centers, neighborhood resource centers and libraries will be available as cooling centers through Thursday, with air-conditioning and water available.
Libraries are closed Monday for upgrades but will reopen for regular hours and as cooling centers Tuesday.
Wichita Transit will offer one-time use vouchers to ride a city bus to any cooling center for free. The vouchers can be picked up at The Hub, 207 S. Sycamore St., or by boarding a bus and asking the driver to stop at a cooling center.
Riders will need to pick a cooling center along that route to avoid being charged a transfer fare. The driver will allow the rider to board and provide them with their ticket to be exchanged at the cooling center. These vouchers must be exchanged at a Wichita Public Library, recreation center or neighborhood resource center for a return ride ticket.
Here is a list of neighborhood resource centers:
- Atwater Neighborhood Resource Center, 2755 E. 19th St. N.
- Colvin Neighborhood Resource Center, 2820 S. Roosevelt St
- Evergreen Community Center and Library, 2601 N. Arkansas
- Boston Recreation Center, 6655 E. Zimmerly
- Edgemoor Recreation Center, 5815 E. 9th Street
- Evergreen Recreation Center, 2700 N. Woodland
- Linwood Recreation Center, 1901 S. Kansas
- Orchard Recreation Center, 4808 W. 9th Street
- Lynette Woodard Recreation Center, 2750 E. 18th Street
City officials are also urging people to enjoy eight open splash pads as a fun way to cool off. While the aquatics season winds down for the summer, public pools at Aley, College Hill, Harvest and Minisa are open Saturdays and Sundays only from 1–6 p.m., from Saturday through Sept. 6.
