By Penny Hansen
Special to Marinscope
My cell weather app and outside thermometer agreed – 107 degrees, at 1:30 p.m.
My Web app listed Cooling Center by the City of Novato-Novato Parks, Recreation and Community Services.
The Margaret Todd Center, as well as various other facilities throughout Marin, provides access to public buildings for area residents to get out of the heat when temperatures are expected to rise to unsafe levels.
I wanted a closer look at the Cooling Center function so I grabbed my water bottle, camera and walked in. I was greeted by a smiling Teresa Ehteshami, Recreation Supervisor. The building has many spacious areas. Every room was immaculate and cool with scheduled activities in progress. There is a large free exchange Library in a separate room with a wall shelf and tables filled with donated books. Men play cards in the Pool table room, near a separate computer room and next to a craft room used regularly by the “Fountain of Ukes” ukulele class by Sherry.
Surprisingly, I observed Senior’s in Chair Exercises in the gym and Bridge Players in another. Outside or in, there was no signage as a “Cooling Center.” She told me the Center just received Cooling designation within the past hour.
I asked where the public would go for Cooling? She said the main lobby and other areas as needed. She said to qualify for a Cooling Center designation a facility is required to have a water fountain and A/C.
In the main lobby there was a seated circle of women in conversation and additional empty couches with one occupant seated comfortably in a wool hat.
I feel gratitude for having the Margaret Todd Senior Center for the benefit of Novato Seniors and anyone that needs to cool off.
Thank you, Teresa, for the tour.
(Penny Hansen is a Novato resident and frequent contributor to the Novato Advance and Marinscope Community Newspapers.)
Leave a Reply