The City of Los Angeles has implemented a cooling center policy change after a report by The Korea Daily revealed that several designated locations were either inaccessible to the public or unaware of their official role during the cityโs ongoing heatwave response.
Amid continued high temperatures, the city had listed more than 200 public facilities as โCool Spotsโ to provide relief from extreme heat. However, a July 10 investigation by The Korea Daily found that some of these cooling centersโintended to serve vulnerable residentsโhad restricted access or staff unfamiliar with the program, prompting criticism of the cityโs response as symbolic rather than functional.
In an email on July 11, the Department of Recreation and Parks (LADRP) acknowledged the issues, stating: โThe situations reported at some recreation centers do not align with our departmentโs standards and procedures. We are currently conducting site inspections and staff training at the facilities mentioned in the article.โ
The facilities visited by the newspaper included the Normandie Recreation Center, Chateau Recreation Center, and Seoul International Park Recreation Center, all near Koreatown.
In response, Romondo Locke, Principal Public Relations Professional at the Department of Recreation and Parks (LADRP), sent the following statement by email on July 11:
โIn response to your article related to the City of L.A. Cooling Centers, we would like to first express our concern for your experience at several of our Recreation Centers and acknowledge that the situation described does not align with the Departmentโs standards and protocols.
The Department of Recreation and Parks is committed to serving all Angelenos โ especially our most vulnerable โ looking for relief from the summer heat. All staff have been reminded of this vital responsibility and the Department is specifically meeting with staff at the locations listed in your article so that this does not happen again.
All Recreation Centers and facilities are open to Angelenos across the city who are seeking relief from the heat. We invite you and all residents to visit. You may find all locations and hours of operation here.โ
The centers visited by The Korea Daily included the Normandie Recreation Center, Chateau Recreation Center, and Seoul International Park Recreation Center, all located near Koreatown.
To verify whether these corrections had been implemented, the newspaper revisited the affected sites.
Benjamin Juarez, Director of the Normandie Recreation Center, confirmed, โLast week, we received an email from the cityโs Recreation and Parks Department about the cooling center policy. It stated that all recreation centers must remain open for residents seeking relief from the heat.โ
He added, โOur center is now open to anyone who needs shelter from the heat.โ
The City of Los Angeles continues to encourage the public to use its designated Cool Spots in response to the ongoing heatwave. A full list of open cooling centers and their operating details is available at climate4la.org/heat-relief-4-la/.
BY HANKIL KANG [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]
