2 - Southpoint Sun
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Local retiree follows his passion for writing with Colasanti story
Editor’s note: This article is part of a monthly series on local seniors in Leamington, Kingsville and Wheatley. By Paul Forman If you ask anyone in the local area what is the quintessential spot for some good old-fashioned fun, a common answer would be Colasanti’s Tropical Gardens. We all know the name, but do we know the rich history as to how this iconic business came to be? Kingsville author Robert (Bob) Lynch was approached to shed light on the story behind one of our most loved tourist attractions and tackled the task in his ninth book, The Story of the Colasanti Family from Grandfather to Great-Grandchildren. This octogenarian — a former local elementary teacher and current basketball coach at Kingsville District High School — was first published in 2010 writing a book about the streetcar that travelled
BOB LYNCH
from Windsor to Leamington, titled Taking the ’Lectric. Over the past 12 years he has continued to satiate his passion for our history, penning eight books written for young children, teens, historical fiction buffs and hard-fact historians alike. Sun reporter Paul Forman had a chance to sit down recently and have a conversation with this energetic author and asked him to describe the process and details behind his latest work. Forman: Every author encounters an initial spark for a book. What was your inspiration to write a book on this particular topic and how did you begin? Lynch: “I’ve known Joe Colasanti for many years and I watched the development of the Tropical Gardens. I was there one day and Joe asked me to write a book about his mom and dad, Alex and Emma, and how they started the Colasanti business. I said that I would love to. Joe gave me some information and then I started the research. I would do a section — let’s say a dozen pages — and I would bring them to Joe. Joe would go over them with me and would say no, this isn’t exactly right, and I would make changes. It is really Joe’s story. I almost felt like a ghost writer for this book.” Forman: Why is the history of the Colasanti family an important story to tell? Lynch: “There is so much history behind this family that people don’t know about and needs to be told. It’s truly an entrepreneurial story, built from scratch into a very successful business. The book is also about what Joe’s father Alex went through and how the operation we see now didn’t just happen.” Forman: All authors encounter unexpected challenges while putting their book together. Describe some of the chal-
lenges that you ran into. with the family. What impact was sought Lynch: “First off, I wanted to make sure with these parts? that my research was correct. I had diffiLynch: “They were first with the tropiculty finding a photo of the ship that Alex cals, like oranges and grapefruits, it was came on. So I called my nephew in Hali- all about growing where you are eating. fax and asked him to go down to Pier 21 No one in this area had anything like CoMuseum and take a picture of the ship for lasanti’s. It has been a spectacular busime. I had to make sure that I was accurate ness that has grown so much over the with my descriptions of things, that I was years. As far as the philanthropy, Joe Cotelling the story correctly. I ran the details lasanti never looks for a pat on the back, by Joanne Colasanti and other family but if anyone deserves one it is him. I members for verification, they lived it, so wanted to tell the story of philanthropy I knew it would make my book accurate.” because it is the culmination of what the Forman: Many of our readers are fa- business has been about. The family has miliar with Colasanti’s Tropical Gardens, truly built a legacy that lives on.” possibly first visiting as a kid to see the Forman: Authors often want to plant animals and now popping in for a meal a lasting memory for the reader. What or a plant. What do you think they will would you like the reader to take from find most interesting about this read? this particular book? Lynch: “I think they will find interesting Lynch: “This is a story of how someone the development of the business and the can start with nothing and can become side stories that they don’t know about. important. I want people to remember For example, people would not know that Joe Colasanti has brought joy to lives about the time that Joe’s brother Ronny that don’t necessarily have it, with his went out west to save four mustangs fundraising, his wheelchairs for kids, and from becoming dog food. Most wouldn’t his philanthropic nature” know that Ronny was a political animal, Forman: It’s obvious that you love to he was a County Commissioner in Michi- write, what is the next big idea for you to write about? gan and ran a business there too.” Lynch: “I’d like to do a book about the Forman: John Dutton did the photo-art for this book. Tell me about your collabo- growth of music in the Kingsville area, but it is difficult to narrow things down ration with him. Lynch: “We also collaborated on my because there has been so much out there Odd Ear book. In this book, he took the over the years. I will probably look at Grammy winning Cuban post-1950 and hope that I don’t ignore photos and cleaned them up. Family phoSongwriter any of the great bands of the past.” tos were fixedCanadian by taking Singer out distracting Forman: How can one get a copy of parts or he would put important features back in, like a foot. Joe would give us The Story of the Colasanti Family from boxes of photos, we would filter through Grandfather to Great-Grandchildren? Lynch: “You can get a book by contactthem looking for ones that fit the part of the book that we were working on.” ing me through email, robertlynchauMARCH 8PM thor@gmail.com. I can deliver right to the Forman: The latter part of 24, the book THE GROVEDALE focuses more on the operation as it now buyer’s house or they can come by my stands and the philanthropy associated house to grab a copy.” ARTS AND CULTURE CENTRE
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