Richmond Celebrates Nevin Resilience Hub
The City of Richmond is proud to announce the Nevin Resilience Hub Power-Up event, a milestone in bolstering resilience against extreme heat. The event is scheduled for Thursday, October 26 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Nevin Park, located at 6th Street and Nevin Avenue in Richmond. The community is invited to join the official “power up” of the hub. Light refreshments will be provided.
The Nevin Resilience Hub will provide relief to residents from the adverse effects of extreme heat. The hub is equipped with solar panels and power stations that can power appliances such as refrigerators to store medicine or provide electricity to power essential medical equipment or charge devices. Additional features include retractable shade with misting tubes to help cool down residents during extreme heat.
The project is funded by grants awarded to the City of Richmond from the PG&E Corporation Foundation’s Better Together Resilient Communities program (Better Together) and PG&E’s Resilience Hubs program. These programs support local initiatives to build community resilience and capacity to withstand climate-related hazards. Richmond is one of four recipients of the Better Together award and one of seven recipients of the Resilience Hubs, with efforts focused on addressing extreme heat events.
Waves of extreme heat can harm residents by causing heat-related illnesses such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. While Richmond is typically cooler than other parts of the county, extreme heat can be particularly harmful for communities that are not accustomed to it. People living in typically cooler areas may be less likely to have access to air conditioning and less likely to recognize the need to protect themselves from the negative outcomes of extreme heat. According to the California Heat Assessment Tool, Nevin Park is located in a high-priority heat vulnerability area identified by both Contra Costa County and the state.
"The Nevin Resilience Hub exemplifies our community's spirit of innovation, collaboration, and, above all, care for one another. As we power up this hub, we're not just switching on the lights, but building a stronger and brighter future for Richmond. We are grateful to the dedicated partners who have joined us in this project." — Richmond, CA Mayor Eduardo Martinez
The City of Richmond partnered with Rebuilding Together East Bay-North to implement the project. Through this partnership, unsheltered residents received workforce development opportunities, including training and employment in constructing, staffing and conducting outreach related to the cooling structures. Additionally, GRID Alternatives Bay Area designed and supplied solar technology to power and support the hub. GRID Alternatives partners with local governments, utilities, the solar industry, and affordable housing providers to install solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, as well as provide workforce training programs.
"With appreciation for the City of Richmond's partnership, we're proud to launch this PG&E climate resilience hub, which is a tangible and innovative step towards greater equity for our community's most vulnerable,” said John-William Frye, executive director of Rebuilding Together East Bay-North.
