Contact Information:
Meg Matthews
Public Relations Manager
mmatthews@littlerock.gov
(501) 804-4822

Press Release

(Little Rock - July 11, 2011)


Due to dangerously high temperatures, the City of Little Rock will open its Alert and Community Centers to citizens who need a cool place to seek relief from the heat. Serious health consequences can occur for elderly and other residents who may not have air conditioning in their homes. According to the National Weather Service, heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States.

“We are concerned that some of our more vulnerable citizens may not have a place to go to in order to escape these extreme temperatures,” said City Manager Bruce Moore. “By opening up the Alert Centers during their normal operating hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. we will be able to provide a much needed respite from the heat in many Little Rock neighborhoods. Also, our four Community Centers already offer air conditioned areas for 500 children through our Summer Playground Program and 100 senior citizens through their Senior Program on a daily basis. Now, they will also have rooms available for other residents who do not have access to air conditioning in their homes.”

The Alert Center addresses are as follows:
• East of Broadway Alert Center – 500 East 21st St.
• West Baseline Alert Center – 9209 Mann Rd.
• South End Alert Center – 1100 West 33rd
• Willie Hinton Neighborhood Resource Center – 3805 W. 12th St.
• Valley Drive Alert Center – 5621 Valley Dr.
• Oak Forest Alert Center – 2123 Harrison
• West Central Alert Center – 4200 John Barrow Road
• Upper Baseline Alert Center – 3623 Baseline Rd.
• Wakefield Alert Center – 7414 Doyle Springs Rd.
• Central High Alert Center – 1108 S. Park St.
• Capitol View/Stifft Station Alert Center – 2715 W. 7th St.

The Alert Centers are all staffed and Code Enforcement Officers will be there after 1:00 p.m. throughout the week.

Little Rock’s Community Centers locations:
• Dunbar Community Center – 1001 w. 16th St.
• East Little Rock Community Center – 2500 E. 6th St.
• Southwest Community Center – 6401 Baseline Rd.
• Stephens Community Center – 3720 W. 18th St.

The Community Centers are also staffed and will have signage that will direct residents to the rooms they may room for cooling off purposes. Other spaces are in use for the Playground and Senior Programs.

Also, the City of Little Rock is participating in the 4th year of collaboration with the Salvation Army to provide a Cooling Center at 111 W. Markham St. from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. every day when the heat index reaches 100 degrees. Additionally, the Salvation Army is continuing to collect and distribute fans through its “Beat the Heat Fan Drive.” Donations can be dropped off at the Salvation Army or any Little Rock Fire Department.