Mary Beth: You were a kid who basically grew up in Syracuse parks. What were some of the parks that you hung out in and what are some of your favorite memories?

Lazarus: I grew up in the old and now-gone Mulberry Square Apartments in the Wilson Park area. Then we moved to the Kirk Park/ Southwest Center side of town, so my sports years, I was a Southside kid. I mainly played at Kirk and Higher Onondaga Park. But I played all over, I played baseball at Elmwood Park & football for LeMoyne Dolphins in the Lyncourt area. I did soccer at Barry Park and swimming meets at Southwest. Kirk didn’t have a pool then.

Mary Beth: You played a lot of basketball in the parks in your youth. How did that help you in your basketball career with Syracuse University?

Lazarus: It helped me because I grew up with my friends Joe’von and Jesse, Terry, Moe, Antwon Rucker, playing on the monkey bars at Kirk, until we could get good enough to play on the two courts that the older guys played on. We had to earn our way, but we respected the process. We would try and play with them or stand our ground, and they would kick our ball over the fence and tell us to go back to the monkey bars; we’re not ready. So we worked even to the point we would come back at midnight and play games to develop our skills, until it became a trend and now the city was coming to our court at 12am to play night ball. We had one of the only courts in the city with light poles. I got my toughness from that experience, I got my drive, I got my you-are-not –going- to- stop-me- from- being- what -I- want –to-be (with respect to others before me and the right way of getting my respect). In short, it taught me to earn mine and be respectful doing it.

Mary Beth: When you were a kid in Syracuse parks, did you ever imagine that you’d one day be the Commissioner?

Lazarus: No, not at all.

Mary Beth: Now that you are the Commissioner and as the Parks Department marks its 100th anniversary, what are some of your goals? What accomplishments, to date, are you most proud of?

Lazarus: My main goal is to leave the parks a better place then I got it. I want the Syracuse community to be proud of itself and to be able to come outside and enjoy its beauty within the Parks with no worries. Every day is a proud moment for me at the parks department because my staff is great and we do our best to make kids happy, safe and have a positive place to use their imagination. I know this is a thankless job, but I get it every day when I drive by one of my parks and see a child or family enjoying my parks. But to be honest, my two biggest accomplishments are that my loving wife and kids get to be a part of my great city’s growth that I have a hand in. And to bring the Challenge Course and Sports Complex and Center to Burnet Park and our city. To date it’s the only one in New York State.