SURPRISEAZ.GOV/PROGRESSMAG • SPRING 2022 Take the Surprise Retail Survey (kids too)! Library & Arts Events plus Culture in BLOOM THE CITY'S ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT, EXPLAINED2 surpriseaz.gov | Spring 2022 CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS Held at: Surprise City Council Chambers, Surprise City Hall, 16000 N. Civic Center Plaza When: First and third Tuesday of the month•6 p.m. Work Sessions•4 p.m. Call: 623.222.1200•surpriseaz.gov/citycalendar PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION Held at: Surprise City Council Chambers When: First and third Thursday of the month•6 p.m. Call: 623.222.3154•surpriseaz.gov/pz-commission P&Z COMMISSION MEMBERS VETERANS, DISABILITY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION Held at: Surprise City Council Chambers When: Second Wednesday of the month•6 p.m. Meeting playbacks are available with Closed Captioning surpriseaz.gov/surprisetv Call: 623.222.3243 •TTY: 623.222.1002 PARKS & RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION 623.222.2240 ARTS & CULTURAL ADVISORY COMMISSION 623.222.3243 Surprise Progress is published by the City of Surprise Marketing & Communications Department. Read it online at surpriseaz.gov/progressmag. Comments? Call 623.222.1431 or email us at communications@surpriseaz.gov. Virginia Mungovan Nichole Wiley Amanda Steele Lorena Cano Muriel M. Sawicki PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS GRAPHIC DESIGNERS | PHOTOGRAPHERS MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR SPRING 2022 | Volume 22 | No. 2 DISTRICT 1 Roland F. Winters Jr. VICE MAYOR, DISTRICT 2 Aly Cline DISTRICT 3 Patrick Duffy DISTRICT 4 Ken Remley DISTRICT 5 Jack Hastings DISTRICT 6 Chris Judd MAYOR Skip Hall CITY MANAGER Bob Wingenroth - 623.222.1100 Matthew Keating Ken Chapman Mitchell Rosenbaum Dennis Bash CITY COUNCIL - 623.222.1300 Dennis W. Smith Jared Holland Kevin Sartor LIVE TELEVISED MEETINGS YOU CAN WATCH ON surpriseaz.gov/surprisetv/cityofsurprise Printed on paper with a portion of post-consumer waste. PRINTED WITH SOY INKS You can still watch it anytime on-demand at surpriseaz.gov/SOTC. The video documents our recent accomplishments and gives a sneak preview of what’s to come for Surprise! From retail romances to action-packed development growth, there’s something that’s sure to peak your interest. 2022 State of the City Available for Playback! Missed the 2022 State of the City video premiere? Spring 2022 | surpriseaz.gov 3 New city website coming soon! The excitement is building for the unveiling of our revamped City website this summer. You can expect a whole new look and feel with a modern design. Finding what you need will be much easier thanks to updated menus that increase your ability to navigate across the website. Staying up-to-date on news and events will be easier with our redesigned notification system that makes signing up quick and makes viewing or managing subscriptions simple. Plus, our online forms have been improved to help modernize business practices and provide better access to residents who want to engage with the City and our programming. It’s all coming summer 2022 to surpriseaz.gov!4 surpriseaz.gov | Spring 2022 D 3 D 6 D 1 The growth District 1 has experienced over the last several years will be met with more shopping and service amenities, including specialty convenience and commercial service. Right now, the new Fry’s Asante grocery store is officially under construction and is bringing promise of not only groceries and goods, but more retail amenities. This new grocery-anchored neighborhood center, in the heart of the Asante master planned community project, is proposed to have an affiliated fuel center as well as five additional shopping pad sites. For more on what’s coming to Surprise, visit page 10. WINTERS JR.Cline ROLAND F.Aly http://d1.surpriseaz.gov D 4 REMLEYHASTINGS KENJACK Our community has plenty of opportunities to gather and enjoy this amazing season of weather as we tran- sition to the sunny days ahead. We are excited to see the Senior Center return to regular hours, which are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., plus the full schedule of classes, groups and programs. Then on May 28, the Surprise Aquatic Center and Hollyhock Commu- nity Pool open for the season. Check out the feature on aquat- ics on pages 8-9 to learn more about getting a seasonal pool pass or taking one of our recre- ational swim classes. Development at Surprise City Center continues to progress. It’s exciting to see the Royals housing up across from the ballpark, while many other projects begin design and construction phases. Private de- velopers are making millions of dollars in capital investments here and new multifamily residential units will likely spur additional commercial invest- ment. Adding to the excitement is the news that SimonCRE, the developer behind the suc- cessful launch of the Village at Prasada re- tail center, has signed on to help with the Quarter at Surprise commercial real es- tate development planned for the southeast cor- ner of Bullard Ave. and Bell Rd. D 2 D 5 the council district update vice mayor SCAN ME SCAN ME SCAN ME SCAN ME http://d5.surpriseaz.gov http://d2.surpriseaz.gov http://d4.surpriseaz.gov It’s a great time to celebrate! In February, we marked five years of partnership with Ottawa University Arizona (OUAZ). Mayor Skip Hall and Ottawa President & CEO Dr. William (Bill) Tsutsui issued a joint proclamation desig- nating every third Thursday of February, Partnership Day. OUAZ also announced its “Surprise 15” program – available ex- clusively to 2022 Surprise high school graduates! Charging a reduced $15,000 a year for a full course load and meal plan, with a guarantee of no raise in tuition. For more details, go to ottawa.edu/surprise. Spring 2022 | surpriseaz.gov 5 D 3 D 6 DUFFY judd PATRICK chris The master-planned community of Sterling Grove is continuing to blos- som in District 3! In early March, Sterling Grove Golf & Country Club held a ribbon cutting celebrating the opening of a new, member-exclusive clubhouse. It features the Copper + Rye Table + Bar; The Flora Spa, of- fering facials, manicures, pedi- cures and massages; a fitness + movement studio; event rooms and meeting spaces; three re- sort pools and a spa; poolside bar; pickleball, tennis courts and bocce ball. Plus, a new Safeway-anchored shopping center is coming to the area. Details are on pages 10-11. The increase in developer interest we saw last year was unprecedented. Industrial developers acquired the final 400 acres in the two-square- mile area of the Surprise Railplex. This influx of activity will generate an expected 3,000 jobs in the next 18 months. Since the BNSF railroad runs through the Railplex, it makes it an attractive feature for manu- facturers and material distributors. Our community offers several key elements these incoming compa- nies require. We have the ameni- ties and talented workforce, along with the advantage of being strate- gically positioned with access to both the Loop 303 corridor and the BNSF railroad. t update SCAN ME SCAN ME http://d6.surpriseaz.gov http://d3.surpriseaz.gov H appy spring! This is a beautiful time of year in Surprise, giving us plenty of reasons to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. While Spring Training was delayed this season, we were happy to have Major League Baseball back in our Surprise Stadium in March for fans to enjoy. This spring and summer, national youth baseball tournaments will fill our stadium complex, and national tennis tournaments will hit the court at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex. Tourism is important to our growing city. It brings in room stays at our hotels, as well as more shoppers and diners – all of which contribute to the sales tax we collect. Our Sports & Tourism Department is always working to find tourism opportunities, including a new music and BBQ festival that is coming this fall! As we build our Fiscal Year 2023 budget, we are looking at all of the ways we can bring revenue into Surprise to support the infrastructure, programs and services our city needs as it continues to see high growth. We are also looking at ways we can conserve the resources we have. As temperatures start to heat up, it’s a good time to think about how you are watering your plants and make any changes necessary to conserve our precious water resources. April brings the Wyland Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation, and I hope you will log onto mywaterpledge.com and make a commitment to conserve. There are even some great prize opportunities if you do (see pg. 6 for details)! Soon, we will have our own community xeriscape demonstration garden on the City Hall campus to showcase the beauty of arid landscapes, while promoting responsible and sustainable use of water. I hope you will come out and enjoy it in late spring! surpriseaz.gov/ Mayor Contact your City Council: 623.222.1300 skip HALL mayor SCAN ME Scan the code with your smart phone and type your address. surpriseaz.gov/mysurpriseaddress D 2 D5 D 4 D6 D 1 D3 NEW TO SURPRISE?6 surpriseaz.gov | Spring 2022 Surprise needs your help as we look to claim the top spot as a “water-wise” city during a friendly nationwide competition this April – and you could win some prizes too! This is the fourth year the City has participated in the Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation. After repeatedly finishing in the Top 10 for cities our size, we believe we can take home the top spot this year. To win, we need our residents to take a pledge to manage natural resources more wisely. If you participated in years past, you can simply renew your pledge. It only takes a few moments to visit mywaterpledge.com and select from a list of ways you can help use water more efficiently, reduce pollution and save energy. It is simple to participate and just as easy to be entered to win hundreds of prizes, including $3,000 towards your home’s utility payments. Plus, you can nominate your favorite charity to win a 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid to help them conserve and serve! Last year, residents from over 2,000 cities in all 50 U.S. states pledged to reduce their annual freshwater consumption by over 1.4 billion gallons and prevent hundreds of thousands of pounds of hazardous waste from entering our watersheds. In addition to participating in national and statewide water conservation campaigns, Surprise offers some excellent water saving resources to our City-serviced water customers. This includes WaterSmart, a free self–service program that allows customers to view water consumption and receive leak or high usage alerts to help identify costly potential leaks. To use WaterSmart, visit surpriseaz.gov/utilities and click “pay my utility bill online”. Click on the WaterSmart logo to access the tool and set up leak alerts. Learn more about the Surprise water conservation program, rebates and resources for residents at surpriseaz.gov/waterconservation. Access leak alerts & water use data with WaterSmart! pledge Spring 2022 | surpriseaz.gov 7 The previously announced improvements at Surprise Community Park and the new Countryside Park are now in the design and plan review stage! New & Improved Parks in Design Stage COMMUNITY PARK IMPROVEMENTS NEW COUNTRYSIDE PARK Surprise Community Park is a gathering place for many in Surprise. The area near Paradise Lane and Bullard Avenue has an urban fishing lake, playground, sports courts, dog park, Veterans Reflection Circle and more. With so many amenities – and visitors – at the park, we are making some improvements. On the north side of Community Park, residents will soon enjoy a second restroom and the added convenience of a paved parking lot with lights where there is currently a dirt lot. This project will also include improvements to Surprise Lake, removing the zero depth entry and adding a concrete edge with pathway improvements. Construction will begin late 2022. A new, multipurpose park located north of Countryside Recreation Center and Elementary School, at the southwest corner of Greenway Road and Parkview Place, is now in the final stage of design! This park’s primary use will be to facilitate youth and adult sports. Residents can expect a multipurpose field and several recreation size soccer/football fields with lighting. The project will also include restrooms, drinking fountains, parking and more! Construction is scheduled to begin summer 2022. 8 surpriseaz.gov | Spring 2022 Take Group or Private Swim Lessons Would you love to spend time at the pool, but don’t feel comfortable in your swimming ability? Or perhaps you’re ready to move past the shallow end. We have just what you need! Spring swim lessons kick off on March 28 for all ages, six-month-olds to adults, and all ability levels. You can choose from group or private lessons. Registration is open now. Get Ready to Make a Splash! The Surprise Aquatic Center and Hollyhock Community Pool open for swim season on May 28. Both pools are open seven days a week, with Hollyhock offering open swim times from 12-4 p.m. daily. The Aquatic Center will have open swim available 12-6 p.m. Monday-Thursday and weekends, and 12-4 p.m. on Fridays. Admission is $2 for youth, $3 for adults and $5 for non-residents. SPLASH, MAKE A Get more information online at surpriseaz.gov/aquatics or call 623.222.2000 Save with a Pool Pass If you’re a Surprise resident and plan to spend plenty of time cooling off at the pool this year, consider purchasing a pool pass. Pool passes go on sale April 4 for open swim. They are $30 for youth and $50 for adults. You can also get a family pass for up to five people for just $100. Spring 2022 | surpriseaz.gov 9 get outdoors this spring! Private lessons are available for both tennis and pickleball! Take a Swing into Spring! It is the perfect time to get out and play at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex. Starting May 1, the complex will be open every morning, seven days a week from 6:30 to 11 a.m. and Monday - Friday evenings from 4:30 to 9 p.m. As you look for some fun summer break activities for kids, remember our tennis and pickleball programs are for all ages and all skill levels. Plus, they are taught by certified and highly-qualified instructors. Join a Tennis Class You’ll find monthly tennis programs for ages 4-18. They offer free walk-on court time to practice and equipment is available to borrow. Junior Team Tennis for ages 7-18 is held on Fridays, and free Saturday Clinics are included in the monthly fee. TAKE A Learn to Play Pickleball Is your child interested in learning Pickelball? Classes for beginners, Kids Pickleball 101 and Teen Pickleball 101 start in June and meet once a week in the morning with a certified instructor. Equipment is available to borrow if you want to try this sport before committing, but be warned, it is popular for a reason! Once you have the basics down, you can enjoy playing in the Newbie League for Kids and Newbie League for Teens, weekday evenings. The format is match play for leagues and is monitored by City staff. Get more information online at surpriseaz.gov/tennis or call 623.222.2400 SWINGNext >