Thursday, April 25, 2024

082316i-MAPC-Keep-Cool

With forecasts showing temperatures in the high 80s and low 90s at least until schools open Sept. 6, it’s still a good time to get familiar with Keep Cool, a mobile-friendly website launched in early August by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.

The pp features a searchable map of public places to stay cool, including public pools, splash pads, ponds, community centers, libraries and beaches, for 14 communities including Cambridge (which lists around two dozen places to go) and Somerville. During heat waves it adds information about official municipal emergency cooling centers, where the elderly and other residents without air conditioning can go for relief.

Developed in partnership with the Metropolitan Mayors Coalition, the site also offers information about how climate change affects summer temperatures in the area, and resources for getting rebates on home air conditioning improvements and scheduling home energy assessments.