On Monday, August 23, I attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the new El Mirage Library.
Fire Station Annex is soon to be the new El Mirage Library, located at 13513 N El Mirage Rd. The ceremony was attended by Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman, Councilmember Roy Delgado, and Mayor Alexis Hermosillo. The new library is planned to open in early spring 2022.
Sunday in the Park
Sunday in the Park returns to Mark Coronado Park this fall! Join us on September 19 from 3-7 p.m. for live music, various food trucks, an assortment of beer and wine, and family-friendly entertainment such as bounce houses, face painting, a trackless train, and more! View event details: bit.ly/3sw1lBr. Future dates are October 17 and November 7 from 3-7 p.m.
Fiesta Grande
Our annual street festival is back! Join us for the 8th Annual Surprise Fiesta Grande to celebrate our city's cultural heritage on Saturday, October 9, from 5-10p.m. Fiesta Grande will feature Authentic Mexican food, a classic car show, arts and crafts, music & live entertainment and more! Admission and parking are free; the city will provide free shuttle drop-off to the event area. Visit surpriseaz.gov/fiestagrande for more details.
9/11 Ceremony
Surprise will hold a ceremony to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and to honor the victims, survivors, and heroes of that day at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, September 11. Mayor Skip Hall, Fire-Medical Chief Tom Abbott, and Police Chief Benny Piña will speak as part of the ceremony.
Surprise Water supply is Secure
The US Bureau of Reclamation has announced a Tier 1 shortage for Colorado River operations for 2022. This shortage declaration does not mean a shortage at your tap. But, it's still very important to be wise consumers of this precious resource. Learn more about how Surprise is prepared and how you can help conserve: bit.ly/3k1DBBy
Next Steps for Senior Center
The Surprise Senior Center began the next phase of reopening on August 9. The center is now open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday for member-led activities, special groups, clubs, and self-led fitness in the gym without reservations.
All participants are required to fill out a new enrollment packet when returning to in-person programming. Face masks are strongly recommended, and social distancing is encouraged. High-touch areas will be cleaned and sanitized frequently throughout the day.
For information call 623.222.1500. Dates, times, and capacity requirements are subject to change without notice. At this time, there is no open recreation.
Motorcycle Safety Class
Join the Surprise Police Department for a Motorcycle Safety Class on Sunday, September 19 from 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the Surprise Stadium parking lot, 15850 N. Bullard Ave. There will be time for participants to apply their learned skills on an interactive course, promoting optimal response to dangerous riding situations. This course is for current motorcycle riders. A valid driver's license and motorcycle endorsement, motorcycle, and helmet are required to attend this class. This class is not for new riders to obtain an endorsement. For more information, please email DriveWise@surpriseaz.gov or call 623.222.4500.
Spring Training 2022
Major League Baseball has released the 2022 Cactus League Spring Training schedule in conjunction with the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers. Opening Day in Surprise is set for Saturday, February 26, with the Texas Rangers taking on the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium.
Additional information regarding the upcoming season, including game times, ticket details, specialty packages, and fan health and safety guidelines, will be announced at a later date. If you are interested in ticket information, please visit SurpriseStadium.com and sign up for email alerts.
Economic Development
What a year for economic development in Surprise! Check out Economic Development’s FY 2021 Year in Review, here.
Step Up in Surprise, AZ
The inaugural VetLink Foundation Step Up in Surprise will be held on October 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at AZ TechCelerator located at 12425 W. Bell Rd. This event is designed to provide homeless veterans and all veterans the support they need for better employment, housing, health, and overall lifestyle. This event welcomes all veterans and their dependents.
Community Meeting
On August 21, 225 Surprise and Sun City West members attended a meeting with Mayor Skip Hall, Councilmember Aly Cline, and Police Chief Benny Pena at the Church on the Green in Sun City West for an update on the city of Surprise. Mayor Hall spoke about economic development, Councilmember Aly Cline talked about community development, and Chief Piña discussed the need for the city and the county to work together, especially as it relates to homelessness and county islands within Surprise.
EPCOR Water
Surprise voters will be asked to approve a franchise extension with EPCOR Water in the November 2021 election, and voters must register by October 4 to cast a ballot.
EPCOR is one of six water providers in the city of Surprise, and this election will not change EPCOR’s service area. Approval would allow EPCOR to construct, maintain and operate a potable water delivery system and a wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal system throughout the city public rights-of-way. The franchise does not grant authority to change your utility rate.
For more information on this election and to view the proposed franchise agreement, please visit surpriseaz.gov/electionnews.
Meet & Greet
My monthly Meet and Greet will be 10 a.m., September 24 at Arizona Traditions, 17222 N. Citrus Rd. I look forward to discussing the latest city news and answering any questions you have.
City Council Meetings
The next regularly scheduled Council meetings are September 7 and 21 at 6 p.m., and City Hall is open to the public for in-person attendance. You can also watch live on surpriseaz.gov/surprisetv, the Surprise City Gov Facebook page at facebook.com/cityofsurprise, or on Cox channel 11.
