Cincinnati (AP) — Tirrdell Byrd sat on the floor strumming his guitar as people strolled around Over-The-Rhine Recreation Center, winter jackets flung over folding chairs, things packed into shopping bags and wheeled totes, the aroma of pizza lingering.
Another woman assisted a blind woman in getting a drink of water, while others gathered around a television to watch news about a dangerous cold front.
They don’t usually spend their days at a roller rink, but approximately 200 people, many of whom were homeless, were happy for a place to stay warm during the sub-zero temperatures that gripped Cincinnati and most of the country.
At night, busses would arrive to transport them to overnight shelters to avoid even colder temperatures, which can swiftly result in frostbite and death.
“This is a safe place for us. And I appreciate the affection that is still out there,” added Byrd, who has been residing in shelters until he has enough money to “go on my own.”
“I hope people can look at this and understand how much character it takes to be out here,” he told reporters Monday.
AccuWeather predicted that much of the eastern half of the country would experience temperatures 12 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit (7 to 14 Celsius) below their historical normal this week, as cold air is routed well south of Canada and the Arctic.
On Monday, daytime temperatures in Cincinnati were in the 20s, with overnight lows of 11 at Cincinnati Municipal Airport. The National Weather Service predicted brutal cold with single-digit nighttime temperatures for most of the week.
As temperatures in Cincinnati drop below freezing, recreation institutions such as the Over the Rhine Recreation Center are extending their daytime hours to accommodate individuals in need of a warm haven and meals. (AP video by Joshua A. Bickel; produced by Brittany Peterson.)
Nonetheless, several people elected to stay outside, braving the cold with only cardboard for cover.
According to Dave Harris, assistant director of the Cincinnati Recreation Commission, the center extends its hours to people in need of a warm environment, food, and transportation to overnight housing. This is the third year that this center has acted as a midday shelter, and despite not meeting the temperature threshold that decides when to open, the city decided to open it due to a projected storm. Other recreation centers will be operating during the day this week.
“If we weren’t available, those patrons and people would … probably be out on the streets facing the elements,” Harris told reporters.