City of Columbia opens Wabash warming center as temperatures drop

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) 

The City of Columbia said it will open its overnight warming center at Wabash Bus Station on Monday night after the National Weather Service forecast overnight low temperatures below 25 degrees. 

Wabash Bus Station is located at 126 N. 10th St. and allows people who are unable or unwilling to access local emergency shelter services to have a place to stay warm from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., the city said in a news release. The station is also open during the day for warming from noon to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services has created a network of warming and cooling centers for the public to use during extreme temperatures. A complete list of the warming center can be found on the City of Columbia's website. 

ABC 17 News reported in February that on days when Wabash is open from noon to 5 p.m. the city can spend anywhere between $153.75 to $173.75 to employ unarmed security officers. The cost rises to between $338.25 to $382.25 when Wabash is open overnight.