Heat wave: Cool off at pools and local beaches
Temperatures will climb above 90 degrees in parts of the Poconos this week, with the highest readings expected on Friday. Though no official warnings have been issued, it's not too early to think about how to stay cool and safe.
Monroe County Office of Emergency Management Director Maryellen Keegan said heat awareness is crucial during the summer. "People need to make sure they're drinking water, staying cool, taking regular breaks and really need to try to stay out of the hottest heat of the day, around that noon to 2:30 p.m. range."
The Loder Senior Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for older residents in the area who need a place to go to cool down. It is located at 62 Analomink St., East Stroudsburg.
Keegan said her office follows warnings from the National Weather Service. "They have thresholds that they follow to release warnings to the county, although we haven't received any as of yet," she said Monday. "We assist municipalities when help is needed. They will also announce if and when cooling stations may open."
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The Pocono YMCA, located at 809 Main St., Stroudsburg, is open daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Associate Executive Director Erica Huber said while it is not a formal cooling station, the YMCA does allow the public access to their facilities.
"Our lobby is open and air conditioned where people can come in and briefly sit in the cool air," said Huber. "They are welcome to come in and get a drink or refill their water bottles."
Cool off at the pool
The Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Commission (SROSRC) serves the community with two public pools. The Dansbury Pool is located at 15 Day St., East Stroudsburg, and the Stroudsburg Pool is located at 209 Stadium St., Stroudsburg. Both pools are open daily between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
According to SROSRC Recreation Manager Trudy Ann Buckley, the pools are fully staffed and open to the public, but there are capacity limits. The Stroudsburg Pool capacity is 242 people and the Dansbury Pool capacity is 354 people.
"We're very grateful that we are staffed with enough lifeguards to run at capacity, but there's only so much the pools are built to handle," said Buckley. "They sometimes reach capacity early, especially on really hot days or weekends."
Information for the pool access and prices can be found at srosrc.org/aquatics.
Visit the local beach
Some of the local state parks offer sandy beaches that are open for swimming daily from 8 a.m. until sunset throughout the summer:
Tobyhanna State Park is located at 114 Campground Road, Tobyhanna. (This beach remains closed as of Tuesday, following an advisory that states: "Due to water sample failures on 7/19/2023, the beach at Tobyhanna State Park will be closed as a precaution until acceptable water sample test results are received.")
Gouldsboro State Park is located at Route 507 and State Park Road, Gouldsboro.
Beltzville State Park is located at 2950 Pohopoco Drive, Lehighton.
Hickory Run State Park is located at 3 Family Camp Road, White Haven.
Promised Land State Park is located at 100 Lower Lake Road, Greentown.
The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area boasts three beaches with easy access to swim in the river:
Milford Beach is located at the north end of the park, just south of Milford, Pennsylvania.
Smithfield Beach is located on River Road about seven miles north of Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania.
Turtle Beach is located six miles north of I-80 on Old Mine Road in New Jersey.
Life jackets are recommended and visitors should not try to swim across the river.
For more information, visit nps.gov/dewa/planyourvisit/swim.htm.
This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Pocono heat wave: Where to go when the temperatures climb
