Belmar Opens Cooling Center

Belmar residents and visitors seeking shelter from soaring temperatures may find it at the .

"I asked library staff to create a comfortable place in the lower library that can serve as a 'cooling center' when outside temperatures become unbearable for our residents and visitors," Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty said. "I also asked them to provide customers with the ability to watch movies — we have more than 500 DVDs in our collections — on the new flat-screen TV, and provide free water, coffee and cappuccino."

"We need to ensure our residents and visitors can escape the uncomfortable temperatures and be in a safe place that provides entertainment and a social network," he said.

The library is located at 517 10th Ave. The hours of operation are 9
a.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The lower level cooling center will remain open until Labor Day or longer if needed.