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 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.

Lynch: “First off, I wanted to make sure that my research was correct. I had difficulty finding a photo of the ship that Alex came on. So I called my nephew in Halifax and asked him to go down to Pier 21 Museum and take a picture of the ship for me. I had to make sure that I was accurate with my descriptions of things, that I was telling the story correctly. I ran the details by Joanne Colasanti and other family members for verification, they lived it, so I knew it would make my book accurate.”

Forman: Many of our readers are familiar with Colasanti’s Tropical Gardens, possibly first visiting as a kid to see the animals and now popping in for a meal or a plant. What do you think they will find most interesting about this read?

Lynch: “I think they will find interesting the development of the business and the side stories that they don’t know about. For example, people would not know about the time that Joe’s brother Ronny went out west to save four mustangs from becoming dog food. Most wouldn’t know that Ronny was a political animal, he was a County Commissioner in Michigan and ran a business there too.”

Forman: John Dutton did the photo-art for this book. Tell me about your collaboration with him.

Lynch: “We also collaborated on my Odd Ear book. In this book, he took the photos and cleaned them up. Family photos were fixed by taking out distracting parts or he would put important features back in, like a foot. Joe would give us boxes of photos, we would filter through them looking for ones that fit the part of the book that we were working on.”

Forman: The latter part of the book focuses more on the operation as it now stands and the philanthropy associated with the family. What impact was sought with these parts?

Lynch: “They were first with the tropicals, like oranges and grapefruits, it was all about growing where you are eating. No one in this area had anything like Colasanti’s. It has been a spectacular business that has grown so much over the years. As far as the philanthropy, Joe Colasanti never looks for a pat on the back, but if anyone deserves one it is him. I wanted to tell the story of philanthropy because it is the culmination of what the business has been about. The family has truly built a legacy that lives on.”

Forman: Authors often want to plant a lasting memory for the reader. What would you like the reader to take from this particular book?

Lynch: “This is a story of how someone can start with nothing and can become important. I want people to remember that Joe Colasanti has brought joy to lives that don’t necessarily have it, with his fundraising, his wheelchairs for kids, and his philanthropic nature”

Forman: It’s obvious that you love to write, what is the next big idea for you to write about?

Lynch: “I’d like to do a book about the growth of music in the Kingsville area, but it is difficult to narrow things down because there has been so much out there over the years. I will probably look at post-1950 and hope that I don’t ignore any of the great bands of the past.”

Forman: How can one get a copy of The Story of the Colasanti Family from Grandfather to Great-Grandchildren?

Lynch: “You can get a book by contacting me through email, robertlynchauthor@gmail.com. I can deliver right to the buyer’s house or they can come by my house to grab a copy.”

BOB LYNCH