by Rachel Hunter
With temperatures climbing past 100 degrees this summer, the Eldon B. Conklin Gouverneur Community Center has again taken on a critical role as the community’s cooling center, offering residents a safe, air‑conditioned refuge from the dangerous heat.
Did you know? Heating and cooling centers in the United States grew from a patchwork of early public‑building practices into one of the country’s most relied‑upon emergency‑weather systems. Their history traces back more than a century, shaped by technological breakthroughs, deadly weather events, and a growing recognition that temperature extremes pose serious public‑health risks.
The earliest version of a “warming center” appeared in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when cities began constructing libraries, municipal halls, and settlement houses equipped with steam boilers and radiators. These buildings offered reliable heat at a time when many homes were drafty, poorly insulated, or heated by stoves that were expensive to fuel. During severe cold snaps, residents often gathered in these public spaces, even before municipalities formally labeled them as emergency shelters.
Cooling centers emerged later, tied directly to the invention of modern air conditioning. In 1902, engineer Willis Carrier introduced the first practical mechanical cooling system, initially designed for industrial humidity control. By the 1920s and 1930s, air‑conditioned theaters and department stores became popular summer refuges. As heat waves intensified, cities began recognizing cooled public buildings as essential safe havens.
The post‑war boom accelerated the trend. By the 1950s, air conditioning spread through government buildings, schools, and libraries, making it possible for municipalities to designate official cooling centers during heat emergencies. Deadly events, such as the 1966 and 1972 Northeastern heat waves, pushed cities to adopt more structured response plans. At the same time, federal agencies began urging communities to prepare for temperature‑related disasters, especially as urban populations grew and climate‑control access remained uneven.
By the 1970s and 1980s, heating and cooling centers were standard components of emergency‑management strategies. Today, they operate in libraries, senior centers, churches, schools, and town halls nationwide. Their evolution reflects both technological progress and a deepening commitment to protecting vulnerable residents as extreme weather becomes more frequent.
The Eldon B. Conklin Gouverneur Community Center at 4673 NY‑58 has served as the community’s designated cooling center for years, a role made possible through the strong, ongoing partnership between the Town of Gouverneur and the Village of Gouverneur
Town of Gouverneur Supervisor David Spilman, Jr. said the center’s quiet, consistent service has become an essential part of protecting vulnerable residents during extreme weather. The Eldon B. Conklin Gouverneur Community Center has opened its doors during every heat event, sometimes serving as many as ten people at once, other times going days without a visitor. Spilman said the number doesn’t matter, the commitment does.
“It’s a godsend to our community,” Spilman said. “At times like this, when it’s 102 degrees, if you can get here, we’re here for you.”
The Eldon B. Conklin Gouverneur Community Center provides cold water, Wi‑Fi, phone charging, and a comfortable place to sit, and if someone needs a meal, staff will make sure they get one. Most visitors are older residents who struggle with extreme heat at home. “Glad to help anybody in need,” Spilman said.
Hours at the center remain flexible because the building is active throughout the day. Supervisor Spilman is typically on site by 5:30 a.m., and staff or volunteers are present until about 4 p.m., with evening programs often extending access until 5:30 or 6 p.m. For anyone who needs relief outside those times, help is still available. “They can call the PD, and they can get ahold of me. I can go down and open up after hours,” Spilman said, noting that Gouverneur’s dedicated facility offers residents a dependable, centrally located place to escape extreme heat.
Supervisor Spilman said the cooling center remains one of the most important services the Eldon B. Conklin Gouverneur Community Center provides… especially for older residents who may not have reliable air conditioning at home. “This just shows one more function of this community center, and the need for it in the community,” he said. For more information about the Gouverneur Community Center, 315-771-6057.
Faithful readers of the Gouverneur Tribune Press will recall that the Town and Village of Gouverneur share a long‑term vision for the Eldon B. Conklin Community Center: a combined disaster‑relief and recreation building that would connect directly to the existing facility and expand its role as a year‑round resource for residents. Town of Gouverneur Supervisor David Spilman, Jr. shared with the Gouverneur Tribune Press that the plan calls for a 6,000‑square‑foot metal building by the Eldon B. Conklin Gouverneur Community Center, designed with a gymnasium‑style interior capable of sheltering up to 100 people during emergencies. A connector hallway would link the new structure to the Gouverneur Community Center, allowing residents to move easily between sleeping areas, hygiene facilities, and food service spaces. Much of the infrastructure for expansion is already in place. The estimated cost has risen to between $2 million and $2.5 million, and the center intends to pursue the New York State BRIC grant this fall. The Gouverneur Tribune Press will report developments as details are released.
Other cooling centers across St. Lawrence County include the Brier Hill Fire Department at 2678 State Highway 37 in Brier Hill (315‑323‑0047, call for availability), the Town of Brasher Municipal Building at 11 Factory Street in Brasher Falls (315‑389‑4223, open Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), the Norfolk Volunteer Rescue Squad at 7 Sedwick Street in Norfolk (315‑384‑4656, open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), Parishville Town Hall at 1772 State Highway 72 in Parishville (315‑265‑2131, open Monday, Tuesday, and Friday during operational hours), Pine Street Arena and Sandstoner Beach at 43 Pine Street in Potsdam (315‑265‑7480 or 315‑265‑4030, open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), STEP by STEP at 1515 Knox Street in Ogdensburg (315‑394‑0597, open daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.), Stockholm Town Hall at 540 State Highway 11C in Winthrop (315‑389‑5171 ext. 1, open Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; call to confirm), and The Salvation Army of Massena at 178 Victory Road in Massena (315‑769‑5154, open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). St. Lawrence County Public Health also notes that libraries, grocery stores, malls, and community swimming pools are also great places to stay cool. For a full list of heating and cooling centers in St. Lawrence County, visit stlawco.gov.