Multiple National Weather Service heat alerts greeted Ithaca this week as “feels-like” temperatures rose to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. As the extreme heat settled in, community members took to the various pools, swimming holes and cooling centers offered by the city to gain respite from the weather.
Ithaca entered an extreme heat warning Wednesday afternoon following Tuesday’s heat advisory, according to the NWS.
Clad in sunscreen, swimsuits and protective clothing, the Ithaca community visited various locations recommended by the City of Ithaca in a Wednesday press release, including the Alex Haley Pool, the Stewart Park Splash Pad and the Tompkins County Public Library.
The Alex Haley Pool, operating under extended hours, offered families a chance to cool off with both a larger pool and a kiddie pool. Older children went off on their own, challenging each other to cannonballs while younger kids splashed and crawled around, supervised by their parents.
Off-duty lifeguards chatted by the water, ate snacks and played hacky sack while staying close to fans and shade.
Right across the street from the Alex Haley Pool is the Greater Ithaca Activities Center, which offered an air-conditioned hallway and room with water for a chance to escape the sun.
Some opted to take their summer reads outdoors, stealing spots in the shade to enjoy their page-turners.
By the water, families sunbathed on colorful towels, dipped their toes in the pool and sat beneath the trees as children splashed about.
For more books, the community could beat the heat at the Tompkins County Public Library, another cooling center. The air-conditioned library offered computers, books and seating for children, teens and adults.
The library was rife with people reading, doing work or chatting with fellow Ithacans about the oppressive weather. Patrons lugged all types of items with them as they dropped by the library, from tall bottles of water to melting ice cream cones.
The Ithaca Youth Bureau, a cooling center, put out water and other refrigerated beverages for visitors as they made the short walk or drive from Stewart Park and the Cayuga Lake shore.
The SplashPad at Stewart Park was abuzz with jumping toddlers, wet puppies and children running through the spraying fountains.
Parents also provided a watchful eye over their kids making sure their playtime was full of fun and friendships.
Near the SplashPad, some parkgoers preferred to stay dry. Some sought out shade in the trees lining the water while others enjoyed the day with family and friends.
The extreme heat warning will end at 8 p.m. on Friday as people gear up for Fourth of July celebrations. There is a chance of showers before 2 p.m. and likely showers from 2 to 4 p.m with a high of 87 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday.
Everett Chambala is an assistant news editor for the 144th board. He is working as the primary summer reporter for The Cornell Daily Sun through The Sun’s summer fellowship program.
Varsha Bhargava is the managing editor for the 144th board. She is working as a primary summer editor for The Cornell Daily Sun through The Sun’s summer fellowship program.
Everett Chambala is a member of the Class of 2027 in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He is an assistant news editor for the 144th Editorial Board and can be reached at echambala@cornellsun.com.
Varsha Bhargava is a member of the Class of 2027 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She is the managing editor for the 144th Editorial Board and was a news editor for the 143rd Editorial Board. She can be reached at vbhargava@cornellsun.com.
