The City of Bellingham is open for business on Thursday, Jan. 16. Some City facilities may have limited hours or be closed due to minimum staffing requirements. City Hall, the Bellingham Public Library, and the Whatcom Museum are open, however.
All locations of the Bellingham Public Library will open at regularly scheduled times of 10 a.m. today. Any library schedule changes or cancellation of individual programs will be announced via the library website and social media.
Several park facilities are closed today or on limited hours. Arne Hanna Aquatics Center will open at 12:30 p.m. today, and Civic Stadium is closed. Pre-school open gym and volleyball have been cancelled. Big Rock Park, Bayview Cemetery, Lake Padden Golf Course and the Civic Skate Park are closed.
Road update
Last night crews continued to work to get snow routes cleared and ready for today. As of 8 a.m. this morning, all snow routes are bare and wet with some small slushy sections. Crews have transitioned to clearing secondary arterials and residential streets.
Forecasts are calling for warmer temperatures over the next five days and conditions should improve over the next 24 to 48 hours.
The City of Bellingham currently has four large trucks and three small trucks with sanders and plows working the neighborhoods. Stormwater crews are starting to prepare for localized flooding that is likely to occur from catch basins that are now buried in snow.
For more information on City snow routes, visit https://www.cob.org/services/planning/transportation-planning/snow-and-ice-removal
Severe weather shelters
Winter and severe weather shelters are operational tonight.
The Lighthouse Mission Ministries shelters and Civic Field women’s shelter are operating usual hours. Check in for these shelters is at 1012 W. Holly Street at 6:30 p.m.
Northwest Youth Services Shelter is also open during the winter season. This shelter is for youth ages 13-24. Check in begins at 8 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m. Youth can check in at 2500 E St. in the basement of First Congregational Church.
In addition, Fountain Community Church is operating a severe weather shelter for men, with additional capacity for families if need be. Please arrive to 1012 W Holly St. by 6:30 p.m. at the latest. Once checked in, guests will be transported to FCC’s shelter location.
Severe weather shelters are coordinated by the Whatcom County Health Department and are run by volunteers. Severe weather shelters operate when a temperature of 28°F is forecasted as the overnight low and there is limited or no capacity at the Lighthouse Mission or Women’s Winter Shelter. Precipitation and wind chill are also considered when activating severe weather shelters on nights when the temperature threshold is not met.
Up-to-date winter shelter information can be found at www.whatcomcounty.us/homelessshelter or by calling the Emergency Winter Shelter Hotline at (360) 788-7983.
