On a scorching Wednesday afternoon, with temperatures reaching 103 degrees, some Salt Lakers were brave enough to venture away from their air conditioning. Most parkgoers had similar plans to stay cool throughout the day, seeking out pools and shade, or heading indoors for air conditioning, rest, and relaxation.
At Jordan Park, on the west side of Salt Lake City, a few people milled around. Kim Jensen and Allison Duke-Smith lounged in the shade of a tree, lamenting the heat.
“It felt like a blowdryer hit me in the face,” said Duke-Smith.
Jensen was over it. “It’s hot, I want to go back inside,” she said.
Nearby at the skatepark, kids practiced their skateboarding skills, including 13-year-old Owen Smith, who initially had other ideas of how to spend his day.
“It’s way too hot,” said Smith. “I wanted to stay inside and play video games.”
On the other side of the skatepark, Robyn Simkins stood in the shade, watching her grandkids.
“I'm not from here, so it was a lot better than what I’m used to because I'm from southern Utah in the St. George area,” said Simkins. “And it's been so blazing hot that I thought this is a piece of cake compared to that, but it's hot.”
Across town, at Liberty Park, a much larger crowd surrounded the playground area. Although the playground itself was empty, the nearby splash pad was full of children running around and playing in the water.
“You want an honest reaction? Oh, it’s hotter than hell out here,” said Daevone Green, who lounged on a beach towel by the splash pad. His younger siblings splashed away in the water.
“We don’t need to be outside, but, you know, everyone wants to be outside.”
Compared to the kids, Green's clothes were dry, so he made sure to stay in the shade of trees surrounding the area.
“We’re definitely using the splash pad, thank God the water’s cold today,” said Green. “So we’re just maximizing the shade.”
Nearby, Daniel Phelps and Amy Meadors got ready to leave the park, after being there for three hours. They described the weather as “dry, miserable and tired.”
Their kids were drenched from head to toe thanks to the splash pad. The plan for them after the park was simple.
“Going back home, sitting under the air conditioner, staying out of this one, that’s for sure.”
