The hot summer weather has been great for outdoor recreation, but for some residents of Alward Place the heat inside their apartments has become unbearable.
There's no air conditioning at the seniors' home owned and operated by Northern Health and in some apartments the windows only open out a few inches which limits air flow and prevents the installation of permanent air conditioning units. The lack of air circulation means some tenants have reported temperatures in their units above 32 C, even in the middle of the night.
None of the residents The Citizen spoke with wanted their names used, some citing fears of repercussions from Northern Health if they were identified.
"It definitely hinders your quality of life because it's too hot to do anything," said one woman whom The Citizen will identify as Joanne.
"You can't cook, you don't dare turn your stove on."
Joanne found the nights were worse than the days as it has been difficult to fall sleep in the hot bedroom.
"You kick all the covers off and you get naked and still the air hangs," she said, adding the air seems heavy due to the lack of circulation.
Other residents also mentioned noticing the heat, but said the situation is worse depending on the location of the apartment. The units facing 6th Avenue, for instance, gets less direct sunlight, which helps keep the temperatures down and a apartments in a newer wing of the building have patios and those residents can open a door to get more air circulating.
Northern Health has held two meetings with tenants, one on July 17 and another on Aug. 2, but the tips offered by the health authority didn't provide much relief for the stifling conditions.
"They had the most Mickey Mouse suggestions, like blinds or heavy blackout [curtains]," Joanne said.
"I have all of that and it doesn't work."
Other suggestions Northern Health gave residents included purchasing portable air conditioners, wearing loose-fitting clothing and drinking plenty of water. The health authority also arranged for residents to purchase discounted fans at Walmart.
"Northern Health is still exploring options to help tenants stay cooler, including blackout drapes to reduce heat coming into the facility," Northern Health spokesman Jonathon Dyck said.
Alward Place is a seniors' home, not a complex care facility, and Northern Health has a landlord-tenant relationship with the residents.
"It is also the responsibility of the individual tenant to address concerns related to heat in their unit and Northern Health is willing to assist the tenants to find effective methods that will reduce the temperature in their units," Dyck said.
The best way to lower the heat, according to Joanne, is to replace the windows with a model that allows for them to be opened wider, which she said would also improve air quality in the building. She suggested the reason the current windows were chosen was because they require less maintenance than other models.
The windows were replaced recently and Dyck said they meet the 2006 provincial building code. Residents aren't allowed to modify them and there are no plans to replace them.
"Extending the opening or changing how the windows open are not a viable option at this time," he said.
