Well, there were changes to the way the zoo operated. We couldn’t change much in the old building, you know, it looked like a fairgrounds building, glass roof, and cages on either side and cages outside. We added more space in the park. It was the linear park, very difficult… Read More
What kind of staff did you inherit?… Read More
The staff at the Seneca Park Zoo was small. Many of them old timers, typical municipal type governments employees, except for one had Dan Michalowski. He was born and raised in Rochester and had been at the zoo. And when I walked in the door, it didn’t take me long… Read More
How serious were they about this master plan?… Read More
The idea of a master plan for Seneca Park Zoo or Monroe County was, I think they were very interested in that happening, but there were other circumstances that came about during that time of planning that changed everything in Rochester. The city had the first race riots in America,… Read More
Did you have to buy a house or how did that work?… Read More
When we moved to Rochester, yes, we had to buy a house. I had a house in Columbus. After 15 years of looking, finally found a house within a mile of the zoo and out on a beautiful area, but nobody wanted to live there because it was so far… Read More
And she has been very supportive of all my decisions on houses that we needed to buy. So you come to Rochester as the director. Read More
But the most important thing also was that my mother who I never dreamed would ever be supportive of my leaving Columbus said, “I think you oughta do that.” You said, Mum, what are you saying?… Read More
You’re kicking me out of the house?… Read More
When you went to Rochester, did you live on the zoo grounds?… Read More
And I thought, why would I do that?… Read More
I have a family and every relative I could ever think of right there. And I knew everybody knew the DiSabatos in Columbus, you know, there were a lot of us. Read More
Was your family supportive?… Read More
Yes, my family, my wife has always been supportive of what I wanted to do. That’s what counted the most. Read More
“I’ve been saying no to this and this is the greatest opportunity I’ve ever heard that I could plane a new zoo for a community that really needed some change.” So I agreed yes I would go, and I would do that. Read More
Why did you say no three times?… Read More
Because I was living in own hometown and doing quite well in Columbus. Read More
But the important thing to me was what did you want in that community?… Read More
And Rochester, you know, is pretty good community, a Kodak and Xerox, and it sounded like there was great opportunity there. And I found out what they were looking for is someone who could come in and plan a new zoo for this new county park department that had a… Read More