Warming Center activated through Dec. 4
The Willand Warming Center of Strafford County, located at 30 Willand Drive in Somersworth, has been activated through Wednesday, Dec. 4. The warming center will be open each day at 4 p.m. and will close the following morning at 9 a.m.
Warming Center of Strafford County operating as-needed through Winter
The tri-cities of Dover, Somersworth and Rochester with Strafford County have contracted with the non-profit organization East Coast Evolution Leadership LLC to operate the warming center at 30 Willand Drive in Somersworth on an emergency basis, through March 31, 2025.
When activated, the warming center will be available for those seeking shelter from 4 p.m. through 9 a.m. the following morning.
Access 30 Willand Drive via Route 108 (New Rochester Road), or Commercial Drive from High Street in Somersworth. The two nearest COAST bus stops are High Street: Holy Trinity Church/Bernier Street (Route 1) and Midway Buick/Coastal Neurology (Route 12). Tickets/bus passes required. Find COAST Bus at schedules coastbus.org/schedules.
The City of Dover owns the Willand Drive facility. The City Council authorized its purchase in December 2020 with federal grant funds to help ease pressure on regional facilities that provide services to the unhoused during the first winter of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Activation criteria
As a general guideline, the Emergency Management Directors (EMD’s) of Dover, Rochester, and Somersworth will declare the need to open the Willand Warming Center on nights when the National Weather Service online forecast for the Skyhaven Airport in Rochester predicts extreme/sever weather conditions meeting pre-established criteria between the hours of 4 p.m. and 9 .a.m.
Extreme and/or severe weather is defined by:
- Ambient air temperatures at or below 28 degrees, or windchill temperatures at or below 20 degrees, for more than four consecutive hours;
- A weather event defined with “blizzard” or “Nor’easter” conditions involving significant precipitation and wind;
Other weather conditions the EMDs may deem extreme or severe include:
- Unusually quick dropping temperatures;
- Heavy snowfall greater than six inches;
- Heavy rainfall greater than two inches;
- A half-inch of heavy precipitation of ice or sleet with temperatures at or below 30 degrees.
Volunteer and donations
The warming center operator welcomes donations and volunteers to help make a successful season. They’ve included an Amazon wishlist for supplies for those interested in helping keep the center stocked. The warming center is utilizing the website volunteershift.com to manage schedules for those who would like to volunteer. Create a free account and view available volunteer shifts by clicking here.
The warming center operator created a Facebook group and encourages community folks to join for updates on all things pertaining to the warming center beyond basic activation alerts.
City facilities serve as warming and cooling centers
Several City of Dover facilities serve as warming centers during extreme cold weather and cooling centers during extreme hot weather.
These specific public buildings are accessible and welcome those seeking relief from the weather during regular business hours:
- Dover Public Library, 73 Locust St. Hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- McConnel Center, 61 Locust St. Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Dover City Hall, 288 Central Ave. Hours: Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Dover Police Department Lobby, 46 Chestnut St. Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Dover's three fire stations are also open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They are located at 262 Sixth St., 9-11 Broadway, and 25 Durham Road.
For an up-to-date weather forecast, visit the National Weather Service's information for Dover at bit.ly/doverweather.