Water is the draw for Central Oregonians trying to beat the heat; Bend Park & Rec offers suggestions and safety tips
Claire Elmer
(Update: adding interview with BPRD, video)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — With this week’s scorching forecast, the most popular way to cool off is to head to the water. Whether it’s the river, a community pool or one of our parks’ splash pads, Central Oregonians have a variety of cooldown options to choose from.
The Bend Park & Recreation District maintains many of the area’s most favored spots. KTVZ spoke Monday with BPRD’s community engagement director, Julie Brown, about their offerings and safety tips.
“When the temperature gets hot, like we’re experiencing right now, it’s pretty common for people to want to come and cool off. We do have a lot of other spaces that are free to use — all of our parks and our trails,” Brown said.
“We have a really great spray ground area at Alpenglow Community Park,” she added. “Being able to access the Deschutes River or even Tumalo Creek, there’s some spots where you can kind of splash your feet in at Shevlin Park. All of those are very accessible, free activities to consider as well.”
If you’re looking to escape the sun entirely, Juniper Swim and Fitness Center and Larkspur Community Center are popular choices, offering indoor pools and a track — along with air conditioning, of course.
“Both Juniper Swim and Fitness Center and the Larkspur Community Center have a drop-in daily fee. If you’re not a member, you are certainly welcome to access those spaces with just a day-use pass,” Brown said.
For those who are enjoying one of the park district’s summer camps, extra precautions are being taken to safely deal with the heat wave.
“We have a lot of summer camps that are happening right now,” Brown. “They’re making adjustments to the exertion level, taking some extra rest breaks, making sure that they’re playing some games in the shade and doing a lot of extra hydration.”
Bend Park & REC estimates around 6,000 people will float the Deschutes River in the Old Mill each day of the heat wave. For the thousands of expected river users going through Bend Whitewater Park, safety is just as important as cooling down. Be sure you are prepared to handle both the extreme heat and water conditions before heading out.
“Make sure that you have as durable a gear that is meant for a river environment,” Brown said. “Those really inexpensive pool floaties do not hold up well against the jagged rocks in the branches and things like that that you’re going to encounter in the river.”
“We recommend life jackets for everybody who’s enjoying the river,” she added. “We have them available at Riverbend Park, as well as Miller’s Landing Park. So if you don’t have one, make use of those loaners that we have available – and just make sure that you’re doing all the right things to have a safe day on the river.”
Bend Park and Rec reminds the community — the key to enjoying summer heat is preparation. Be sure to hydrate often, take breaks in the shade, and practice water safety. Keep an eye on yourself, your loved ones, and don’t forget about your pets!