HEAT WAVE - PP&R pools, community centers, fountains, splash pads, and more!

POSTED AUGUST 1, 2017

(Portland, OR) –

Hot Weather Tips from PP&R

This week, Portland is expecting record-breaking heat. Safety is the top priority of Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R), and we make every effort to keep our classes, camps, and activities running safely during the heat. Excessive temperatures this week may mean that PP&R experiences the following impacts:

• PP&R takes extra precautions for camps and campers while outdoors and if needed, we might hold some summer day camps indoors in air conditioned community centers;
• SomeSummer Free For All Concerts or Movies in the Park, or Holladay and Director Park events may be canceled (decided by 1pm on the day of event; if temperatures during event setup or performance time are expected to reach 103 degrees), and/or
• The Free Lunch + Play program is expected to continue, but may need to end early this week;
• PP&R may potentially cancel select outdoor activities on the day of or ahead of time. For example, we expect select afternoon and early evening Free Fitness in the Park classes to be canceled.
• Some outdoor Senior Recreation and Adaptive & Inclusive activities may be canceled.
• Athletic fields - PP&R is informing groups which have permits to athletic fields and facilities confirmed between now and the end of the week that we will provide refunds if they wish to postpone their events for safety’s sake. We encourage permittees to use the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) heat index guidance in making their decisions, located at osaa.org/heatindex.
• Synthetic field closures - turf fields may add fifteen to twenty degrees to the surface level temperature, significantly increasing the risks to individuals participating in permitted activities. Because of this, PP&R is temporarily closing all synthetic sport fields. Starting August 1, 2017 at noon and running through the end of the day on Friday, August 4, all PP&R synthetic fields will be closed. This includes Buckman Field, Dunaway Field, Grant Field, Lents Field, and all turf fields at East Delta Park (known as fields 5-8). PP&R will refund all usage fees for the closure of our synthetic fields.

To find specific information on cancellations, community members should check out the PP&R Inclement Weather page (a few already-determined cancelations are listed at the end of this release). To the extent possible, individual registrants for classes are notified personally of cancellations.

COMMUNITY CENTERS
The public is welcome to visit the following air conditioned PP&R community centers to refresh in the lobby areas as capacity allows. Please note that PP&R summer camps will be given priority for community center space.

• Community Music Center, 3350 SE Francis St. 503-823-3177
  Open 11am-8:30pm Monday, 9am-9pm Tuesday-Thursday, 9am-5pm Friday, 9am-12pm Saturday, CLOSED Sunday

• Charles Jordan Community Center, 9009 N. Foss Ave. 503-823-3631
  Open 6:30am-9pm Monday-Friday, 9am-6pm Saturday, 9am-1pm Sunday

• East Portland Community Center, 740 SE 106^th Ave. 503-823-3450
  Open 6am-9:30pm Monday-Friday, 7am-6pm Saturday, 8am-6pm Sunday

• Matt Dishman Community Center, 77 NE Knott St. 503-823-3673
  Open 5:30am-9pm Monday-Thursday, 5:30-8pm Friday, 9am-6pm Saturday, 10:30am-6pm Sunday

• Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 SW Capitol Hwy. 503-823-2787
  Open 9am-9:30pm Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm Saturday and Sunday

• Mt. Scott Community Center, 5530 SE 72^nd Ave. 503-823-3183
  Open 5:30am-9:30pm Monday-Friday, 7am-7pm Saturday, 12pm-7pm Sunday

• Southwest Community Center, 6820 SW 45^th Ave. 503-823-2840
  Open 5:15am-9:30pm Monday-Friday, 7am-7pm Saturday, 9am-6:30pm Sunday

SAFETY TIPS AND WHERE TO STAY COOL
We offer you the following tips for a safe summer, PP&R pool and splash pad/fountain information, and Poet’s Beach hours and info below.

• Stay hydrated. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day – at least 8 oz. each, and drink more if you are working, playing or exercising.
• Many surfaces found in parks or elsewhere in the city may be hot. These include asphalt, concrete, plastic, metal where the sun is shining, may be hot.  Parents should use care when supervising children on play structures, park benches, paths, and elsewhere
• Sleep well. Rest is important to the daily recovery of muscles and your body and brain function.
• Choose food wisely. A sugar rush is usually followed by sugar burnout, about 30 minutes later. Instead, choose whole food proteins, healthy fats, and natural sources of carbohydrates. If it wasn’t around a thousand years ago or is made by man (and not nature), chances are you don’t need it.
• Don’t burn! Remember to pack and USE sunscreen. Apply it frequently, and reapply after swimming.
• Cooling centers: people in need of heat relief are encouraged to visit 211info.org or to call 211 for the locations of cooling centers in your area. Other places to get out of the heat include Portland Parks & Recreation Community Centers, libraries, shopping malls, and nonprofit organizations.
• Our H20 is NOT too low: The Portland Water Bureau assures us that our City’s current water use is normal for this time of year. The Bull Run reservoirs have plenty of water to meet the higher summer demand that comes with hot weather. Anyone with questions can call the Portland Water Bureau Water Line at 503-823-7525.

KEEP COOL IN A PP&R POOL
PP&R pools offer open play swims, water exercise classes, junior lifeguard training, junior swim training, summer swim teams, and special events. Free swims are offered through August 25, at pools across Portland, though during the heat wave, there may be a wait time at various pools due to high demand. For more information on how to register for swimming lessons or participate in other summer activities, contact the pool in your area or the Aquatics Administration Office at 503-823-5130.

Pool schedules and info are available at portlandoregon.gov/parks/38284.

Outdoor Pool Locations

• Creston Pool, 4454 SE Powell Blvd, (503) 823-3672
• Grant Pool, 2300 NE 33rd Avenue, (503) 823-3674
• Montavilla Pool,8219 NE Glisan Street, (503) 823-3675
• Peninsula Pool, 700 N Rosa Parks Way, (503) 823-3677
• Pier Pool, 9341 N St. Johns Avenue, (503) 823-3678
• Sellwood Pool, 7951 SE 7th Avenue, (503) 823-3679
• Wilson Pool, 1151 SW Vermont Avenue, (503) 823-3680

Indoor Pool Locations

• Columbia Pool, 7701 N Chautauqua Blvd, (503) 823-3669
• East Portland Pool, 740 SE 106th Avenue, (503) 823-3450
• Matt Dishman Pool, 77 NE Knott Street, (503) 823-3673
• Mt. Scott Pool, 5530 SE 72nd Avenue, (503) 823-3183
• Southwest Pool, 6820 SW 45th Avenue, (503) 823-2840

SPLASH PADS, FOUNTAINS, and POET’S BEACH
Portland Parks & Recreation's splash pads and fountains around the city are open to help you stay cool! Cool off through the end of September. Splash pad hours are 11 am to 9 pm; fountain hours mirror park hours. What’s the difference? Fountains have chlorination and recirculate water; while water in splash pads drains away – like running through the sprinklers. Our list is also available online at portlandoregon.gov/parks/splashin English, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Somali, and Vietnamese.

FOUNTAINS YOU CAN PLAY IN
Note: Fountains are great for playing in, but the water is not for drinking! Like a swimming pool, fountains recirculate treated water. Please help us keep the fountains clean for all to enjoy.

• Dawson Park, N Stanton Street and Williams Avenue
• Director Park, 815 SW Park Avenue 
• Holladay Park, NE 11th Avenue and Holladay Street
• Jamison Square, 810 NW 11th Avenue 
• Stark Street Island Park’s Rose Pedal Fountain, SE 106th Avenue and Stark Street
• Waterfront Park’s Bill Naito Legacy Fountain, by Saturday Market, near the Burnside Bridge
• Waterfront Park’s Salmon Springs Fountain, Naito Parkway between SW Harrison Street and NW Glisan

PARK SPLASH PADS

• Columbia Park and Annex, N Lombard Street and Woolsey Avenue
• Earl Boyles Park, east of SE 107th Avenue and Francis Street (UNDERGOING MAINTENANCE, MAY BE CLOSED FOR REPAIRS)
• Elizabeth Caruthers Park, 3508 SW Moody Avenue
• Essex Park, SE 79th Avenue and Center Street  
• Farragut Park, Kerby Avenue and Farragut Street  
• Grant Park, NE 33rd Avenue and US Grant Place
• Irving Park, NE 7th Avenue and Fremont Street
• Kenton Park, 8417 N Brandon Avenue
• K^hunamokwst Park, 5200 NE Alberta Street
• McCoy Park, N Trenton Street and Newman Avenue 
• Northgate Park, N Geneva Avenue and Fessenden Street
• Peninsula Park, 700 N Rosa Parks Way
• Pier Park, N Lombard Street and Bruce Avenue
• Raymond Park, SE 118th Avenue and Raymond Street
• Woodlawn Park, NE 13th Avenue and Dekum Street

POET’S BEACH

• The new Poet’s Beach on the Willamette Riveris open daily, staffed with river lifeguards 11am-7pm (lifeguard hours are subject to change).

CANCELLATIONS OF PP&R CLASSES, CAMPS, AND/OR OTHER ACTIVITIES
All cancellations will be posted on thePP&R Inclement Weather page. At this time, cancellations already determined are the following activities:

Cancelled Fitness in the Parks classes

• Tuesday, August 1, 6pm Zumba at Cathedral Park
• Tuesday, August 1, 5pm Zumba at Mt Tabor Park
• Tuesday, August 1, 12:30pm Zumba at Ventura Park
• Wednesday, August 2, 12pm Zumba at Salmon Street Springs Fountain
• Wednesday, August 2,5pm Yoga at Arbor Lodge Park
• Wednesday, August 2, 6pm Zumba at Alberta Park
• Thursday, August 3, 5pm Zumba at Holladay Park
• Thursday, August 3, 6pm Aerobics at Gilbert Heights Park

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