As summer temperatures continue to climb in the Mother City, the City of Cape Town is testing a simple but thoughtful idea: turning familiar public spaces into places of relief when the heat becomes too much.
In light of this, the City officially launched its Cool Spaces pilot at Sir Lowry’s Pass Library as part of its wider heat response campaign. The initiative explores how existing community facilities can be adapted to offer safe, shaded and welcoming environments during periods of extreme heat – without residents needing to travel far or navigate unfamiliar spaces.
At its core, the Cool Spaces pilot is about practicality. The Sir Lowry’s Pass Library was fitted with indoor cooling measures, access to clean drinking water, shaded outdoor areas and easy-to-understand information to help residents manage heat-related risks. Child-friendly and educational activities were also built into the programme, ensuring the space felt inclusive for families rather than purely functional.
Importantly, the City said it is focusing on those most affected by rising temperatures: older residents, children, outdoor workers and communities where large-scale greening isn’t always feasible. In these areas, providing shelter and shade can make a tangible difference to daily comfort and health.
The launch brought together City officials, library staff, partner departments, community members and the media to demonstrate how libraries – already trusted, well-used spaces – can play an expanded role during heatwaves and particularly hot days.
‘Our libraries have always been welcoming spaces, and today’s launch gives new meaning to the idea of libraries as “cool spaces”,’ said City’s MMC for Community Service and Health, Councillor Francine Higham.
‘Extreme heat isn’t just about the environment, it affects people’s health and daily lives. Initiatives like Cool Spaces provide preventative support for vulnerable residents while demonstrating how public facilities can work harder for communities.’
The pilot also ties into Cape Town’s broader Climate Change Action Plan and Heat Action Plan, which prioritise community-based responses to increasingly frequent heat events. According to the City’s Chief Heat Officer, Albert Ferreira, the focus is on solutions that are both immediate and accessible.
‘Cape Town is already experiencing higher temperatures, and this trend is expected to continue,’ said Ferreira. ‘Cool Spaces are about providing immediate, accessible relief in places communities already trust. By using public facilities like libraries, we are responding proactively to heat risk while strengthening community resilience where it matters most.’
Library and Information Services Area Head René Walker echoed this sentiment, highlighting the value of testing the concept in a real-world setting.
‘This pilot allows us to learn directly from how communities use and experience the space. Libraries already function as community hubs, and the Cool Spaces Pilot builds on this role by strengthening access, dignity and resilience in response to climate realities,’ she said.
The day’s programme reflected the pilot’s community-first approach, featuring a Cool Space walk-through, environmental education on recycling and littering, a puppet show hosted by Disaster Risk Management, a children’s story reading of Lulu and the Cool Space, appearances by the City’s mascots, and recreational activities facilitated by Recreation and Parks.
Beyond the scenes, the pilot is the result of collaboration across several City departments, including Library and Information Services, Risk and Resilience, Disaster Risk Management, Recreation and Parks, and Urban Waste Management. Together, they’ve created a visible, people-centred response to a growing urban challenge.
Insights gathered from the Sir Lowry’s Pass pilot will help guide future planning and determine how Cool Spaces could be rolled out at other public facilities across Cape Town. For now, it’s a reminder that sometimes the most effective climate responses start with making better use of the spaces we already have, and ensuring everyone has somewhere cool to go when the heat is on.
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Picture: City of Cape Town
