While Waterloo Region remains under a heat warning for the sixth day in a row, parents are trying to find ways to keep their kids cool.
But they’re being asked to exercise caution in the extreme heat, especially when taking their kids to the playground.
Andrea Snow, a parent in Waterloo Region, says her 17-month-old has experienced first-hand just how hot the playground equipment can get.
“The first time I brought him for the summer he screamed because his legs were burning,” said Snow.
CTV Kitchener took a thermometer to a local park, and some of the slides read as high as 65 degrees Celsius and the rubber ground was 81 degrees Celsius .
“The first thing I did when I got here was check the slides to see if they were too hot, and they're really really hot. So we won't be going down the slides,” said Sarah Farquhar, a parent in Waterloo Region.
City officials say metal surfaces can be the most dangerous during a heat wave.
“They become very hot in the heat. Nowadays everything is covered in plastic,” said Jeff Fortune, a playground construction manager.
Clair Lake Park was built in Waterloo a year ago of all plastic equipment, complete with fully covered shaded areas.
The floor is mulch and the temperature reads almost 40 degrees Celsius cooler than the rubber floor.
Health officials are warning that young children and the elderly are most at risk during the hot summer days.
“You’re going to want to keep hydrated. Seek shade. Have breaks from the heat and seek some cool space,” said Brandie Bevis from the Region of Waterloo Public Health.
There are more than 65 cooling stations across Waterloo Region that are open during regular business hours.
With reporting by CTV’s Heather Senoran
