WESTLOCK — As the mercury rose to 30 C and above last week, Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a heat warning July 27-29 for the Westlock region.
The soaring temperatures attracted many area residents and families to the Westlock Aquatic Centre, especially since re-opening July 22 after it was shut down for emergency repairs.
“We have hit double capacity the last four days since re-opening,“ acting aquatics supervisor said Fiona Janz. “Over the summer it’s been OK, but it seems like with the heat we have definitely hit our numbers more than usual.”
The pool saw between 80 to 100 people each of the four days noted Janz, adding that during the summer the aquatic centre is a busy place.
“We’ve had our swim lessons in the morning, our lane swim in the afternoon and our public swim is from 1-3 p.m. and also with the summer programs on Wednesdays we’re really, really busy,” she said.
Director of community services Gerry Murphy, said while the town does not have an outdoor splash park, the indoor pool is a great place for families to cool down, as well as the Rotary Spirit Centre which is a designated cooling centre.
“The Rotary Spirit Centre is air conditioned and the walking track above the ice surface is a great place to cool down if you need a place to do that,” said Murphy. “The walking track is free for all users — there’s no membership or drop-in fee associated with (it) so if people just want to come and walk around in air-conditioned comfort, they can do that free of charge at the Westlock Rotary Spirit Centre.”
Meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada Sarah Hoffman said the first heat event in the region this summer was expected to be in effect for a few days.
“An upper ridge of hot air has moved over the area and that causes temperatures to be well above normal and quite hot,” said Hoffman, noting unlike last summer, where much of the province experienced extreme heat for an extended period of time, this heat event was short lived before temperatures returned to near normal. “This is not that event, however it is the same atmospheric forcing that creates these hotter than normal temperatures.”
Daytime high temperatures of 23 C and overnight low temperatures of 9 C are average for this time of year, noted Hoffman, adding that all health-related advisories and warnings, including extreme heat, air quality and extreme cold are issued in partnership with provincial health authorities like Alberta Health Services and Alberta Public Health officials.
“One of the biggest impacts of heat is when there is no overnight reprieve — that is why our heat warning criteria has an overnight low element to it. We require the overnight low to be hotter than 14 C and those daytime highs to be 29 C or above for at least two days in a row,” explained Hoffman.
