By Gina Long
Gina Yells at Something
We’re in mid-October, and it’s still 90 degrees during the day.
The summer has been so long and unrelenting that 90 degrees feels comfortable. With a nice breeze, it’s refreshing; that is, if we stay out of the sun.
Hutchinson is a well-documented heat island whose notorious sprawl includes nearly 300 miles of concrete and asphalt roadway. The Uptown Mall, the Hutchinson Sports Arena and the old Sears building strip mall on Avenue A are surrounded by large parking areas that transform into open-air convection ovens on cloudless days when the sun strikes like a laser beam.
On a hot summer afternoon, downtown feels more like a cast-iron griddle than a gathering place. Brick walls, concrete sidewalks and asphalt streets soak up the sun all day, making it uncomfortable—and sometimes unsafe—to walk, shop or sit outside.
This phenomenon is known as the “urban heat island” effect, in which developed areas become warmer than the surrounding countryside. Dark pavement, limited vegetation and waste heat from vehicles and air conditioners all contribute. Communities can be 1 to 7 degrees warmer during the day and up to 22 degrees warmer at night, with the greatest differences often occurring several hours after sunset.
A 2024 research paper published in the International Journal of Biometeorology found that blocking sunlight from reaching brick and concrete disrupts how these materials absorb solar radiation and can lower their exterior temperatures by 15 to 36 degrees. These materials act like solar batteries, absorbing heat during the day and slowly releasing it after sunset. Less heat stored during the day means cooler evenings and cooler, longer overnight relief.
Providing more shade in our downtown core would be a practical investment in local business, public health and our community’s future.
Excessive heat is more than an inconvenience. It raises air-conditioning costs, strains the electrical grid and increases the risks of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Hot pavement can also warm stormwater runoff, affecting local streams and aquatic life. Hotter air holds more humidity, which can increase mildew and mold growth, pest infestations and foodborne illnesses.
Solutions do not have to be grand undertakings. Downtown Hutchinson mixes public areas such as Avenue A Park and Chester I. Lewis Plaza with private business buildings and DCI Park. Strategically adding more shaded areas along the downtown corridor from Fifth Avenue to the Carey Park entrance would encourage visitors to come more often, stay longer and attend more community events.
Planting trees is the most effective solution, but it requires a careful mix of tree species, watering and drainage infrastructure and several years for trees to mature.
A faster solution is to install attractive shade structures over benches and gathering spaces, encourage awnings on storefronts and use lighter, more reflective materials when sidewalks, streets and roofs are replaced. Historical building remodeling guidelines should be revised to accommodate a hotter, drier climate. Beginning with the most sun-exposed areas would have an immediate impact.
A thriving downtown should welcome people rather than drive them indoors. By planning for more shade now, we can create a cooler, healthier and more active community.
Gina Long is the co-founder The Hutchinson Tribune, a reference librarian, a Smallville Festival organizer and a history nerd. She can be reached at ginalong.ne@gmail.com.