Norwich — The Rose City Senior Center will be open for extended hours to serve as a cooling center for the upcoming heat wave.

The senior center, 8 Mahan Drive, will be open from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday and from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday to provide an air-conditioned space to mitigate the effects of heat waves. Vulnerable populations, such as the elderly, who are at risk for hyperthermia caused by heat, humidity and poor air quality should seek out cooling centers as a temporary respite from high temperatures.

The Rose City Senior Center may extend its hours to Sunday if the temperatures warrant it and there is a demand for the service.

People coming to the center are asked to bring their own meals and snacks. The center will provide cold water.

The St. Vincent de Paul Place Soup Kitchen, 120 Cliff St., is another option for residents who need a cool place. The soup kitchen is open daily — except Sundays — from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

For more information about the cooling center, contact Lee Ann Gomes, director of Norwich Human Services at (860) 823-3778 or Mike Wolak, director of the Rose City Senior Center, at (860) 889-5960.