WEST BEND, Wis. — Poor air quality is disrupting summer plans across Washington County, forcing the cancellation of concerts, sports events, and the temporary closure of Regner Park's pond and splash pads.
Summer concerts in West Bend and Germantown were among the events canceled or rescheduled. Summer sports across the county were also canceled or moved indoors as residents tried to limit their time outside.
"My 7-year-old has some breathing issues," Trisha Maas said. "So we're trying to keep it inside over the last couple of days."
Watch: Air quality concerns cause event cancellations throughout Washington County
Twelve-year-old Mikayla Maas said the effects of the hazy conditions are hard to ignore.
"You can definitely smell it and feel it," Mikayla said.
Regner Park closed its pond for the day, leaving splash pads dry and the swimming area quiet — a stark contrast to what is typically a packed scene on a summer day. Kali Thiel, Director of Communications for the City of West Bend, said the decision was made with staff safety in mind.
"A lot of our lifeguarding staff in particular are young adults; they're required to sit at their station for long periods of time," she said. "So that decision was really to do with protecting our lifeguards."
Despite the disruptions, some residents say they are not letting the air quality stop them entirely.
"We're being cautious, but nothing is going to stop us from living," Alex Mulloy said. "We're just hoping it doesn't ruin the plans for the mud run."
With Saturday's annual Youth Ninja Mud Run approaching, Mulloy said she is keeping a close eye on conditions.
Organizers will make a final decision by Friday afternoon on whether or not to cancel the run. With improved weather expected, they said most likely the event will proceed as scheduled Saturday morning.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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