Cooling spaces will be open to the public to seek respite from the heat when a heatwave is forecast, as part of a national plan to help Singaporeans tackle rising temperatures.
These spaces – some of which will be air-conditioned – will be set up islandwide.
Most community centres will serve as cooling spaces, and some Residents’ Networks, especially those near one- and two-room HDB blocks, will be prepared to offer such spaces.
Some indoor sports halls with air-conditioning will also provide respite during the heat.
These cooling stations are part of a suite of heat response measures that were revealed to the media on March 19, formulated by a group – called the Mercury Taskforce – comprising more than 30 government agencies and ministries. They include the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social and Family Development.
The task force was set up in 2023 to develop and coordinate responses across the agencies.