Retiree Finds ‘Show Business’ To His Liking At Historic Amusement Park

12/4/2002

MIDDLEBURY, Conn. – “This is show business,” George Zonas tells his newly-hired staff members each spring at historic Quassy Amusement Park here.

“Your image and attitude are very important,” he adds, pointing out that the ride operators are the frontline when it comes to guest relations at the 95-year-old park.

Zonas speaks from experience as he was an international customer service representative and traffic manager for 28 years at Black & Decker’s Pop Fasteners Division in Shelton, Conn. He retired from the company in 1999.

The pep talk Zonas gives each spring - as the park gears up for its seasonal operation - is not only to teen-agers who have landed their first job, but also to other retirees who will be at the controls of the rides.

Prior to taking a position as a ride operator himself four years ago, the 62-year-old Zonas knew little about the mechanics of the park’s carousel, the high-speed “Music Fest” or other thrill machines.

Now with 2 1/2 years of experience as the manager of more than two dozen rides and attractions at Quassy Amusement Park, Zonas finds himself pitching safety and showmanship to the 50 members of his summer staff.

“Everybody who lived locally came here as a youngster, including myself. It was part of the rite of passage,” he says of the park, or simply “Quassy” as most locals refer to it.

Zonas, who lives in nearby Waterbury, Conn., is a native of the area and grew up only a few miles from the picturesque lakeside park.

His fondest memory of Quassy as a youngster was the beach with its slide, diving raft and the sparkling clean water of Lake Quassapaug.

“My entire family was swimmers, so the beach always came first,” he said of his childhood visits to Quassy.

“I always wanted to work in an amusement park, but never could afford to. Now that I’m retired I can do what I want and I’m not bound by monetary reimbursements,” he noted.

But Zonas is anything but retired from April through mid-October each year now that he’s found a management position with the park.

Halfway through his first season as a ride operator at Quassy he took the title as supervisor of the department.

“I stepped in to fill a void and had no intention of coming back in that capacity the following year,” he recalled. “I just wanted to work someplace and have fun – doing something during the summer on a part-time basis and enjoy myself.”

But he came back, and has been ride manager ever since.

To bring himself up to speed, he had to learn the proper operation of all of the rides in the park, readily admitting that some of these thrill machines are very sophisticated mechanically.

“If I stumble across a technical manual (for rides), I’ll read it. And I take the time to learn more about the mechanics of each ride as opportunities arise,” he noted.

Not only does Zonas oversee the operation of all of the rides, but he also has to provide the proper training and certification for all members of his staff.

In the spring he also participates in the administrative portion of the hiring cycle at the park and has to keep personnel files updated throughout the summer.

One of the biggest challenges he faces each season is bringing young people with no work experience into the job market and proving to them the amusement park business is not all fun and games.

“They have to establish a work ethic and learn how to operate rides safely,” he said of the process.

Safety is the number one priority at the park and the training each staff member receives prior to running rides attests to what Zonas calls an “excellent” safety record.

“In the years I have been here I have not seen a major accident (on the rides),” he exclaimed.

As for the young workers at the park, Zonas says he tries to be a role model “to the kids.” That role not only includes work ethic, but also proper grooming and attire.

“The ride line is the frontline and the staff represents the park. It’s (personal appearance) extremely important as families visit here,” he added. At the same time Zonas has to maintain a high level of discipline because of ride safety.

“Good discipline goes hand in hand with the safe operation of rides,” he said.

Remaining focused – which is part of being disciplined – is also vital in being a good ride operator, the manager pointed out. He firmly stated that there is no room on his crew for anyone who cannot remain focused while at the controls of a ride. But early season employee turnover is high at the park, and for at least one key reason.

“Many of the kids who have come to work here have recollections of being at the park to have fun. But when coming in as an employee they soon realize being a ride operator is serious business and some can’t cope with that responsibility,” he noted.

While the majority of his workforce is teen-agers, Zonas also has a handful of retirees on staff each summer.

He says the retirees add stability to the ride area environment and the older generation helps to instill some good values on the younger employees.

“There is no question that the retirees enjoy it here,” Zonas said of other golden-agers. “They can’t wait to get back here for another season and it’s good for them, good for the park and for the younger employees. They (retirees) like the security and stability to come to work at a certain time, be assigned to a particular ride and go home at a certain time. The younger ride operators like to be more versatile and enjoy the challenge of learning to run new rides.”

Zonas says guests speak favorably about having retirees mixed in with younger workers at the park. This mix, he says, creates more overall confidence in the park’s atmosphere.

As for ride manager George Zonas, the days can be long at Quassy, stretching into 12 or 13 hours on summer holidays.

During those busy times, Zonas admits “we all have to extend ourselves” to get the job done.

He usually arrives at the property two hours before the rides open, allowing him to go over his employee schedule, take care of any issues and catch up on required paperwork.

During the day he is on his feet most of the time walking throughout the 20-acre park, making sure the rides are being operated properly and taking notes of anything the maintenance staff may have to address.

The bells, whistles and music on the rides are not an annoyance to him, but rather a happy reminder that he’s in an atmosphere created for family fun.

It’s a job he finds stimulating and absent of stress. “I have many parents and grandparents stop me and say they came here as a child. They love to reminisce about the park,” Zonas said with a smile.

Even on some rainy days the park will be open, providing there is no lightning. At the first sign of a thunderstorm the rides are shut down.

Should the weather look like a total washout in the morning, Zonas is busy making calls to staff members telling them not to come in for the day.

The late summer brings with it another challenge for the ride manager as his highly-experienced college students have to return to school.

“We have to step in as management and pick up that slack,” he said of the situation which sometimes leaves him short-handed. To help ensure guests get the service they paid for, Zonas occasionally will man the controls of one of the rides.

And if there is a quiet moment in the twilight of the season, you’re apt to find him on the grand carousel.

“I find that relaxing,” he says of an occasional spin on one of the horses.

When Quassy closes in October, George Zonas makes a trip to the garbage can with his pair of worn-out sneakers – proof that no grass has grown under this retiree’s feet.