The City of Fort Wayne was honored last week by the nationwide association of mayors for its work to combat extreme heat in specific neighborhoods.
Mayor Sharon Tucker was among 12 mayors awarded for their Climate Protection program.
The heatmapping program was rolled out in 2024, partnering with federal agencies and using volunteers to create a detailed map of what areas of the city were the warmest.
One of those areas was the city’s East Central neighborhood, where temperatures were higher than average. Residents also deal with higher than average rates of poverty and poor air quality.
The initiative engaged 40 volunteers to collect data and talk about the issue.
Information collected by the project was then translated into community-supported actions such as providing more shaded bus stops.
