Springfield Park Board extends hours for Silver Springs, Meador pools due to heat advisory

Susan Szuch, Springfield News-Leader
·2 min read

Springfield and parts of southwest Missouri are under a heat advisory until Tuesday afternoon, according to the Springfield National Weather Service Office.

The heat index — how hot it feels when you take temperature and humidity into account — is expected to range from 100 degrees Fahrenheit to 109 degrees Fahrenheit.

Due to the heat advisory, the Springfield-Greene County Park Board has adjusted pool schedules and is offering extra cooling center options.

The Silver Springs Pool, 1100 N. Hampton Ave., will be open until 8 p.m. Monday and the Meador Pool, 2600 S. Fremont Ave., will be open until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Outdoor pool admission is $4 for youth and seniors and $5 for adults from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., according to the Park Board. From 5:30 p.m. until close, admission to all locations is $1 or free with a canned food donation, which benefits the Ozarks Food Harvest.

The public can also cool off for free in the water at Jordan Valley Park, 635 E. Trafficway St., from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Some family centers — as well as Jordan Valley Ice Park, 735 E. Trafficway St. — open their lobbies as free public cooling centers during heat advisories. The lobbies have seating, restroom access and air conditioning.

Jordan Valley Ice Park is open daily from noon to 5 p.m. These family centers are open as cooling centers from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday during heat advisories:

  • Chesterfield Family Center, 2511 W. Republic Road;

  • Dan Kinney Family Center, 2701 S. Blackman Road;

  • Doling Family Center, 301 E. Talmage Ave.

These locations in the Ozarks are also open as cooling centers during heat advisories:

  • Ash Grove Sunshine Center, 310 N. Perryman Ave., Ash Grove;

  • Fair Grove Senior Center, 122 S. Orchard Blvd., Fair Grove;

  • Republic Senior Friendship Center, 210 E. Hines St., Republic;

  • Salvation Army Springfield, 1701 W. Chestnut Expressway, Springfield;

  • South Side Senior Center, 2215 S. Fremont Ave., Springfield;

  • Strafford Senior Center, 201 W. Bumgarner Blvd., Strafford.

More: It's almost time for summer camp. Ozarks experts offer advice on keeping kids healthy

These locations are open as cooling centers even when there isn't a heat advisory:

  • Ash Grove Branch Library, 101 E. Main St., Ash Grove;

  • Fair Grove Branch Library, 81 S. Orchard Blvd., Fair Grove;

  • Library Station, 2535 N. Kansas Expressway, Springfield;

  • Park Central Branch Library, 128 Park Central Square, Springfield;

  • Republic Branch Library, 921 N. Lindsey Ave., Republic;

  • Schweitzer Brentwood Branch Library, 2214 S. Brentwood Blvd., Springfield;

  • Strafford Branch Library, 101 MO-125, Strafford;

  • Willard Branch Library, 304 E. Jackson St., Willard;

  • Rare Breed Youth Services, 301 N. Main Ave., Springfield;

  • Library Center, 4653 S. Campbell Ave., Springfield.

Susan Szuch reports on health and food for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @szuchsm. Story idea? Email her at sszuch@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: With heat advisory in effect, here's where to stay cool in the Ozarks