Heat wave, Cooling centers return

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - As the intense heat once again blankets West Michigan, certain communities are opening cooling centers.

In Ionia, the Zion United Methodist Church, 423 W. Washington St., is open until 10 p.m. Tuesday.

In Wayland, a cooling station at the Wayland Union School Fine Arts Center and Pool will be open Tuesday from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Movies will be shown, board games will be played in the lobby and bottled water will be available.

In Hastings, the Thornapple Manor, 2700 Nashville Road, will be a cooling center for seniors on Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday.

In Watson Township (Allegan/Hopkins area), the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 2036 20th St., will open its hall as a cooling center on Tuesday from noon to 7 p.m. Bring your favorite board game, some snacks. Children must be supervised. Water will be available.

This story will be updated as more cooling centers open.

For complete coverage, stay with 24 Hour News 8 and Storm Team 8.

-------

The outdoor pools at Richmond, Martin Luther King Jr. and Briggs parks in Grand Rapids are open for the season. Each has slightly different open swim hours:

-- Martin Luther King Jr Park: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 12:30 p.m. - 7 p.m; Tuesday, Thursday 12:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.
-- Briggs Park: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 12:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.; Thursday, Friday, Saturday 12:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.
-- Richmond Park: Monday 12:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.; Tuesday through Saturday 12:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Grand Rapids residents between the ages of 1-17 can swim for $1 during open swim. It's $2 for adults.

Non-residents can swim for $4, and a family pass for the season - through August 17 - is available for Grand Rapids residents. City residents can purchase an $80 household pass for the full seven-week session.

The free water playgrounds at Heartside Park, Joe Taylor Park, Mary Waters Park, Alger Middle School, and Gerald R. Ford Middle School are open from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. through Labor Day. The water playgrounds at Aberdeen Park and Mulick Park are open through August 18 between 1-5 p.m.