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St. Helens Cooling Center Information for August 22-25, 2025
The National Weather Service has issued an Extreme Heat Warning for the St. Helens area effective 11 a.m. on Friday, August 22, 2025, until 5 a.m. on Tuesday, August 26.
Columbia Center (St. Helens Public Library) Cooling Center
The City of St. Helens is activating the Columbia Center (St. Helens Public Library building) as a Cooling Center location during this weather event. The Columbia Center lobby and Library are located at 375 S. 18th Street, St. Helens. The Columbia Center will act as a Cooling Center on the following dates and times:
- Friday, August 22: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, August 23: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Sunday, August 24: 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Monday, August 25: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The St. Helens Public Library portion of the building will be open outside of their regular hours of operation as staffing allows for visitors to use.
Food and drinks are allowed in the Columbia Center lobby. Restrooms and a drinking fountain are located inside the building. Limited bottled water is available courtesy of Columbia County Emergency Management and Oregon’s Office of Resilience and Emergency Management (OREM) along with a limited supply of heat relief kits thanks to Columbia County Public Health. Snacks are available thanks to assistance from the Columbia Pacific Food Bank. Only service animals are allowed inside the building. Other pets will be allowed on a leash or in a carrier on the covered porch as long as they are always attended by a person (no livestock). For questions about this location, please call the Library at 503-397-4544.
Transportation
Columbia County Rider Transportation is providing free rides to the cooling center at the St. Helens Public Library on Friday, August 22 and Monday, August 25. Free rides to the cooling center will be available until 5 p.m. If you are not registered for Dial-A-Ride, register here: https://nwconnector.org/dial-a-ride-ccr/
Call CC Rider to get a ride at 503-366-0159.
Other Locations to Stay Cool
The following locations in St. Helens also welcome the public to visit them as a place to stay cool during the heat but are not operating as official cooling centers:
St. Helens Senior Center, 375 S. 15th Street
503-397-3377
Friday, August 22: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Monday, August 25: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Open to all ages
Water and restrooms available
Pets on leash or in a carrier allowed inside (no livestock)
Outside food and drinks allowed
St. Helens Alano Club, 215 N. 6th Street
503-397-9530
Friday, August 22: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, August 23: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, August 24: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Monday, August 25: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Open to all ages
Water and restrooms available
No pets inside; pets under outside covered shelter allowed
Outside food and drinks allowed
Oregon Trail Lanes, 735 S. Columbia River Highway
503-397-1011
Friday, August 22: 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 23: 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 24: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Monday, August 25: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Open to all ages
Water and restrooms available
No pets allowed inside; pets outside under covered breezeway allowed
Onsite food and drinks available for purchase
Columbia Community Mental Health, Jennifer Warren Center, 2225 Gable Road
503-397-5211
Friday, August 22: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Monday, August 25: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Open to ages 18+
Water and restrooms available
Only service animals allowed
Outside food and drinks allowed
Other Information and Resources
St. Helens Cooling Center information will be kept updated on the City of St. Helens website at www.sthelensoregon.gov/. For countywide cooling center information, please visit www.columbiacountyor.gov/coolingcenters.
For safety information about hot weather and extreme heat, visit Columbia County Public Health’s website at https://www.columbiacountyor.gov/departments/PublicHealth/hot-weather-and-extreme-heat. It is important to drink plenty of water and stay in the shade during extreme heat. Check on vulnerable neighbors, friends, and family. Never leave a person, child, or pet in a car.
Published August 21, 2025, at 2:51 p.m.
Last Updated August 21, 2025, at 3:46 p.m.
