cooling center

American  

[kool-ing sen-ter] / ˈkul ɪŋ ˌsɛn tər /

Sometimes cooling shelter

noun

1. Also called cooling station.  an air-conditioned or otherwise cooled facility, such as a school, library, or mall, that is open to the public during a period of hot weather in order to provide relief from the heat.

   The Department of Health can assist in arranging transportation to a local cooling center.

---

Etymology

Origin of cooling center

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

A cooling center is considered a library, community center pools and splash pads.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 20, 2025

Seattle City Hall will be open as a cooling center for people living outside looking for ways to stay safe and escape the blistering high temperatures this week.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 14, 2023

For years, the church helped feed homeless people and used the building as a cooling center, but it was sporadic.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 24, 2023

While not a designated cooling center, the nonprofit facility can hold roughly 40 people at a time for brief cooldowns.

From Scientific American • Jul. 17, 2023

The Salvation Army has also offered a daytime cooling center in Las Vegas, which saw a daily average of 250 visitors last week.

From New York Times • Jul. 15, 2023