Denver’s Department of Housing Stability announced Tuesday the Carla Madison Recreation Center, 2401 E. Colfax Ave., will be opened as a temporary overnight shelter for Denver residents experiencing homelessness.

The recreation center will be closed between 7 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. Wednesday. During daylight hours, all Denver recreation centers are open as “warming centers.”

Though Denver Public Libraries are not official “warming centers,” Denver’s Department of Public Health and Environment said they can be used as a reprieve from the cold in a Monday news release. 

The city has asked residents to refer those experiencing homelessness to the citywide network of “front door” facilities. These facilities offer walk-up access to shelter and some offer referrals and transportation to other facilities. A list of front door facilities can be found on the city website denvergov.org.  

Snowfall and cold temperatures drove the need for expanded shelter capacity Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, according to a news release. Severe weather can pose serious health risks and the city encourages “people to come inside.”

Temperatures in the Denver area were not expected to rise above freezing Tuesday, and lows are expected to fall to almost single digit temperatures overnight. The National Weather Service forecasts a warming trend as the week progresses, however, with a high of 54 on Thursday.