Humboldt
Park in Chicago on Monday.Credit...Scott
Olson/Getty Images
Scorching temperatures continued to bake Chicago on Wednesday, but that didn’t stop some from spending the day outside.
About 300 cyclists organized by the Streets Calling Bike Club rode through downtown to celebrate Juneteenth. Missy Shields, a 30-year-old tech worker who said this was the first year her company recognized the holiday, drank a lot of fluids for the ride.
“You really need your electrolytes today,” Ms. Shields said.
Despite the stifling temperatures, several cooling centers in the city were closed for the Juneteenth holiday, leaving just one open. The Chicago Public Library, whose branches normally provide relief from the heat for some, was also closed.
But several park district pools and field houses were open, according to Mary May, a spokeswoman for Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications. Ms. May added that if the National Weather Service issues an excessive heat warning, the city’s
emergency response plan would be activated, forcing the opening of more cooling centers.
As midday temperatures approached 90 degrees, Patricio Cornejo led a group of about 20 tourists on a walking tour of the financial district.
