By Neil Doyle

BLOOMINGTON – Many local establishments are open as cooling centers with extreme heat hitting Central Illinois.

The McLean County Emergency Management Agency reminds people that cooling centers are a short term emergency location. People can also call PATH at 211 to find other cooling stations in the area.  The National Weather Service reminds people to drink plenty of fluids and stay out of the sun if possible.

List of local cooling centers:

Bloomington:
– Bloomington Public Library, 205 E. Olive St., (W/Th 9 am – 9 pm & F/Sa 9 am – 5 pm) 309-828-6091
– Connect Transit Bus – Thursday-Saturday, noon – 8 pm, parking lot of the
McLean Co Health Dept, at 200 W. Front St., Bloomington
– Denny’s Restaurant, 701 Eldorado St, open 24 hours, 309-663-5251
– Department of Human Services (DRS), 207 S. Prospect Rd., 8:30-5:00 M-F
– IDHS Family Community Resource Ctr, 501 W. Washington St., Bloomington 8:30am-5pm, M-F, 309-451-6000
– IHOP, 2209 E Empire, open 24 hrs, 309-662-8895
– Steak-n-Shake, 1802 S. Veterans Pkwy., open 24 hrs, 309-661-9204
– Steak-n-Shake, 1001 Wylie Dr., open 24 hrs 309-828-2222
– Walmart, 2225 W. Market St. open 24 hours, 309-828-5646
– TA Truck Stop, 606 Truckers Lane, open 24 hours, 309-827-4676

Normal:
– Denny’s Restaurant, 1615 N Main St, open 24 hours, 309-452-7446
– Meijer, 1900 E. College Ave, open 24 hours, 309-888-0800
– Normal Public Library, 206 W. College Ave, (W-Th 9 am–9 pm, F/Sa 9 am–5 pm) 309-452-1757
– Steak-n-Shake, 325 S. Veterans Pkwy 309-454-2899
– Steak-n-Shake, 614 W. Raab Rd. 309-451-3721
– Walmart, 300 Greenbriar, open 24 hours, 309-451-1100

Downs:
– Downs Fire Dept, 102 W Main St., Downs – open 24 hours

Heyworth:
– Village Hall, 108 S. Buchanan St., 7:30 am – 3:45 pm M-F, contact on site staff for assistance
– Heyworth Fire Dept upon notification, 103 S. Buchanan St., 309-473-3223

Hudson:
– Hudson Fire Dept, 502 N. Broadway, Hudson, persons can stop in if they need to cool down. Call first to see if station is manned. 309-726-1501

LeRoy:
– Loves Travel, 505 S. Persimmon Dr. 309-962-3060
– Additional place will be available if requested, stop by or call the LeRoy Police Dept, 110 S. East St., 309-962-3310

Lexington:
– Can open one if needed, contact Lexington police, fire, or EMA through MetCom 309-888-5030

McLean:
– Road Ranger Truck Stop, 315 E. Dixie Rd- open 24 hours, 815-315-0774

Homeless Shelters:
– Salvation Army Safe Harbor, 208 N Oak St, Bloomington,– 309-829-9476
Lobby is open 8 am – 5 pm for people that are not residents but are not banned from the property or from receiving services.
Shelter is open from 5 pm – 8 am for residents.
Breakfast (6 am) and dinner (7 pm) are available to residents, others that are homeless, and people on a fixed income, providing they are not banned.
– Home Sweet Home Ministries, 303 E. Oakland Ave, Bloomington, 309-828-7356 Families and single women can stop in to the lobby for a short time to cool down. Residents are allowed during normal residential hours.
– Project Oz – serves homeless youth ages 17-23, call PATH at 309-827-4005 and ask them to page Project Oz on-call staff

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]