Scott Williams, swilliams@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Scott Williams Owner Ann Retzlaff, shown inside Annie Campground’s bar and restaurant, paid $14,000 for an inflatable water park, plus $2,000 for shipping from China.
Leader Photo by Scott Williams A sign indicates that the inflatable water park is closed at Annie’s Campground. The owner is battling state health officials over whether the state has authority over the water attraction.
Since opening Annie’s Campground near Gresham five years ago, owner Ann Retzlaff has added something new every year to make the campground fun for visitors.
This year, the business owner decided to go big — really big — by treating patrons to what she believes is the most unique inflatable water park available anywhere in Wisconsin.
Not only did campers enjoy splashing around in the 55-foot-wide attraction, nearby residents starting showing up and paying $5 each to spend a day cooling off at the campground.
The fun ended abruptly when state regulators ordered Retzlaff to pull the plug.
The state Department of Health Services determined that the inflatable attraction was an improper swimming pool, and officials accompanied by sheriff’s deputies Aug. 25 served Retzlaff with a notice to cease and desist from operating it.
Retzlaff has since faced disappointed customers and felt a growing sense of frustration.
“I’m exasperated,” she said. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Why wouldn’t I be able to use this?”
State health department spokeswoman Jennifer Miller declined to comment, saying that the Annie’s Campground situation was still under investigation.
The health department also raised concerns with the campground’s bar and restaurant. While those issues have since been resolved, the water park remains deflated and off-limits.
In an email to Retzlaff, state health inspector Hsing-Yi Hsieh wrote that officials were following guidelines designed to protect public health. Hsieh offered assurances that the government agency wanted to minimize any disruption of operations for Annie’s Campground.
“We understand and are excited about your business growth,” she wrote Aug. 20. “We wish we could have been involved during your planning stages to help you meet proper code requirements.”
Capt. Tom Tuma of the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that sheriff’s deputies accompanied state health inspectors Aug. 25 to the campground west of Gresham in the town of Seneca.
Tuma referred questions to state health officials about the cease-and-desist order surrounding the inflatable water park.
The campground, located along Roosevelt Road, includes 128 camping sites and 12 cabins on a 155-acre site that also has a fishing pond and swimming pond.
Retzlaff, who purchased the property in 2010, has built the bar and grill, opened a petting zoo, installed playgrounds and added other new features. With more than 500 campers a weekend, the campground attracts about 8,000 visitors over the course of its summer season.
Hoping to draw even bigger crowds, Retzlaff this year spent $14,000 to purchase the inflatable water park from a supplier in China. Shipping costs totaled $2,000 and a water filtration system was another $1,000. The water is about 18 inches deep, and it is surrounded by colorful inflated water slides, some about 15 feet tall.
The water park opened just before the Fourth of July weekend, and immediately became popular among campers and other patrons.
“The new toy is a big hit,” Retzlaff said. “It should have been my money-maker this summer.”
After being shut down by health officials and seeking help elsewhere in state government, the business owner’s frustration turned to confusion.
The state Department of Safety and Professional Services, which oversees swimming pools, sent an inspector to Annie’s Campground and determined that the inflatable device did not fall under any state regulation.
A business development representative from the state Department of Administration also intervened on Retzlaff’s behalf and offered to try persuading state health officials to allow the campground water park.
Retzlaff said conflicting information from state officials has left her unsure what to do, as another big crowd is expected for the Labor Day weekend. With temperatures in the upper 80s this week, the campground owner expects a lot of customers to raise objections if they cannot use the water park.
“I don’t have a good answer for them,” she said. “My hands are tied. What am I supposed to do?”