Heat triggers opening of cooling centers

More than two dozen cooling centers will be open in Detroit on Monday as a heat wave blankets the region.

Monday's temperatures. like Sunday's, are expected to hit the low 90s with humidity levels that will make it feel like 100 degrees.

Detroit's Parks & Recreation Department and Detroit Public Library have air-conditioned locations available throughout the summer on excessively hot days. Dearborn Heights and Westland also opened cooling centers, according to each city's website.

"The extended duration of heat will lead to uncomfortable to potentially hazardous conditions, particularly for the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions," the weather service said.

Sunday's temperature reached 96 at Metro Airport, said weather service meteorologist Jordan Dale. Along with humidity of 46 percent, it felt like almost 100 degrees outside. 

Sunday's high temperature was the second highest June 17 on record, behind the 99 degrees reached in 1994. A heat advisory is in effect until 6 p.m. Monday, the weather service said.

In downtown Detroit, where parking is free on Sundays, the heat seemed little deterrent to outdoor activities. Cars lined main roads as they usually do on Sundays. Bus riders still waited for their air-conditioned chariots to arrive. For restaurant workers like Derek Grantham, 31, there still were drinkers and diners to serve. 

With a bit more than 90 minutes to spare before his shift at Founders Brewing Co. in Midtown, Grantham parked his bike outside the Federal Reserve Building. He had biked from Eastern Market and would rely on the bike all day as temperatures passed the 90-degree mark.

"I just wanted to get a little bike ride in," Grantham said. "It's sunny, it's nice."

But he didn't check the weather report before leaving. So he didn't know how sunny and how nice it would be. Had he checked how hot it was expected to be Su  nday, he said he would have turned the bike around and used his car. But the decision had been made by the time the day reached peak heat.

In a neighborhood on Detroit's west side, off Interstate 94 and West Grand Boulevard, Gwendowlyn Benning, 68, refused to allow high-noon heat or bad knees that require the use of a walker to deter her from attending Father's Day service at her church, St. Stephen A.M.E. 

"It doesn't make a difference what the temperature is," Benning said after the service. "I come to give praise and fellowship. That doesn't faze me whatsoever. I'm glad to be here; I have many testimonies and I was glad to be at worship today."

But cloud cover should start to break the heat in the early afternoon, and there is a chance of showers or thunderstorms later in the evening.

Tuesday's high should be more in line with average temperatures for this time of year: 81.

The following is a list of Detroit's cooling centers: 

Recreation Centers

•Adam / Butzel Center, 10500 Lyndon
Monday - Friday 6 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

•Butzel Family, 7737 Kercheval
Monday - Friday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

•Clemente Center, 2631 Bagley
Monday - Friday 1-9 p.m.

•Crowell Recreation Center, 16630 Lahser Road 
Monday – Friday 1-9 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

•Coleman A. Young Recreation Center, 2751 Robert Bradby Dr. 
Monday – Friday 6 a.m.- 9 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

•Farwell Recreation Center, 2711 E. Outer Drive 
Monday – Friday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

•Heilmann Center, 19601 Crusade
Monday - Friday 6 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

•Lasky Center, 13200 Fenelon
Monday - Friday 1-9 p.m.

•Northwest Activities Center, 18100 Meyers
Monday - Friday 6 a.m. 10 p.m. 
Saturday - Sunday 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.

•Patton Recreation Center, 2301 Woodmere 
Monday – Friday 6 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

•Williams Center, 8431 Rosa Parks
Monday - Friday 6 a.m. - 9 p.m. 
Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Libraries

•Main Library,  5201 Woodward Avenue, (313) 481-1300 
Tuesday and Wednesday Noon - 8 p.m. | Thursday, Friday, Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

•Campbell Branch, 8733 W. Vernor, (313) 481-1550 
Monday and Wednesday Noon - 8 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. 

•Chaney Branch,16101 Grand River, (313) 481-1570
Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday Noon - 8 p.m.

•Chase Branch,17731 W. Seven Mile, (313) 481-1580 
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday: Noon - 8 p.m.

•Conely Branch, 4600 Martin, (313) 481-1590 
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday: Noon - 8 p.m.

Monday, Wednesday Friday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday: Noon - 8 p.m.

•Hubbard Branch - 12929 W. McNichols, (313) 481-1750
Monday, Wednesday: Noon - 8 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

•Thomas Jefferson Branch - 12350 E. Outer Drive, (313) 481-1760 
Monday, Wednesday: Noon - 8 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

•Knapp Branch - 13330 Conant, (313) 481-1770
Monday, Wednesday: Noon - 8 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

•Parkman Branch - 1766 Oakman Blvd., (313) 481-1810
Monday, Wednesday: Noon - 8 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

•Redford Branch - 21200 Grand River, (313) 481-1820 
Monday, Wednesday: Noon - 8 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

•Sherwood Forest Branch - 7117 W. Seven Mile, (313) 481-1840
Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. | Tuesday, Thursday: Noon - 8 p.m.

•Skillman Branch - 121 Gratiot, (313) 481-1850
Monday-Friday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.