Surprise District 6 City Councilmember Chris Judd.
City of Surprise
Surprise City Council District 6 map.
City of Surprise
By Chris Judd
Fresh off the success of Angie’s Lobster and Surprise’s second EOS Fitness, Marley Park Square will be adding many more highly desirable retailers, services and restaurants in the near future. The first of the new Marley Park Square buildings will be finished in early 2024.
Opening soon in Marley Park Square:
One Stop Nutrition
Ultrasonic Glam
Pure Barre
3 Minute Express Car Wash
Now operating:
Skyway Commons Phase II, Building C: 86,000 square feet
Now 100% Leased! Confirmed tenants: Fideltone
Litchfield Logistics Park – Buildings 1, 2, & 3: 381,035 square feet
Leasing now
NEWS & UPDATES
Reems Road Closure
Reems Road has been closed at Hatcher Road since June 2023 due to significant construction work being done on Olive Avenue. The work is scheduled to be completed by March 1, 2024, and at that time, the road closure will be lifted. The current detour route for residents needing to head south is Sarival Avenue or Litchfield Road to Northern Parkway.
White Tanks Conservancy Update
As some of you may know, my involvement with the White Tank Mountains Conservancy (WTMC) began on the advisory board five years ago, with me now serving as the Chairman of the Executive Board. Since then, I have worked closely with the organization on the long-term sustainability of the White Tanks and will continue to work diligently on maintaining the natural land and wildlife. I want to provide some information on the WTMC and its mission for those who may be new to the city or not familiar with the organization.
The WTMC was formed in 2015 and has two overriding missions. The first is to conserve the cultural and ecological resources of the White Tank Mountains by enhancing the knowledge, experience, appreciation of native desert lands and protection of wildlife. The second is to create innovative approaches to integrate nature with population growth and development.
The West Valley Regional Connectivity Initiative is a long-term project focused on planning for a sustainable and resilient wildlife corridor that will preserve habitat connectivity from the White Tank Mountains to the vast public lands to the west. The success of the project hinges on education and collaborative work with a network of public, private, regional, state and federal landowners and land-use decision-makers.
For the last year, the WTMC has convened West Valley developers, planners and stakeholders to work directly with biologists, engineers and sustainability designers to draft a Wildlife Corridor Concept that leverages the West Valley’s River and wash system, utilizes wildlife linkages models from the Arizona Game and Fish Department and is based on the habitat and movement requirements of local species. This year's collaboration outcome is the finalization of a wildlife corridor concept that utilizes the natural riparian system to maximize benefits for wildlife connectivity, flood control and groundwater recharge. This concept, and the process used to design and plan for the wildlife corridor before development occurs, is truly groundbreaking.
For more information on the West Valley Regional Connectivity Initiative, please visit storymap.wtmconservancy.org.
CURRENT EVENTS
Fishing at Surprise Lake
Did you know the Game and Fish Department keeps our community lake filled with catfish and trout most of the year? This is an excellent time to get outside and go fishing at our local lake. A fishing license is required for anyone aged 10 and up. A youth license is only $5 for the entire year and is available up to age 18. Licenses are available at azgfd.gov.
Here is a schedule of when fish will be stocked into Surprise Lake (Bullard Ave. / Paradise Ln.):
• January 1 - 5
Trout
• January 15 - 19
Trout
• January 29 - February 2
Trout
Stockings will occur randomly Monday through Saturday during the week indicated. Grab a friend or your kids and catch a few!
Christmas Tree Disposal
Need a place to dispose of your Christmas tree and large holiday cardboard packaging? The City offers several Christmas Tree disposal sites. The drop-off period runs from December 27, 2023, to January 17, 2024. Please ensure all decorations are removed from trees and boxes are broken down. Trees must be placed in designated areas only, and there is a limit of two trees per household. Find a list of locations at surpriseaz.gov/TreeDisposal
Audition to perform at Spring Training in Surprise!
Surprise Stadium is seeking National Anthem and color guard submissions for the 2024 Spring Training season! Experienced vocalists, musicians and color guards can audition to perform at Surprise Stadium for Cactus League Spring Training games, February 23 - March 23, 2024. Interested performers can get more information here.
Community Blood Drive
The City of Surprise is partnering with Vitalant Blood Donation to host a blood drive on January 9, 2024, at City Hall from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Community members wanting to participate are encouraged to make an appointment through the Vitalant website. Although walk-ins are welcomed, those with an appointment will be given priority.
Surprise City Hall is located at 16000 N. Civic Center Plz. The blood drive will take place inside the Community Room near Council Chambers in the east wing of City Hall.
As a thank you for your willingness to help others through blood donation, Thunderbirds Charities is providing a voucher to redeem online for a free one-day admission to the 2024 Waste Management Phoenix Open.
MLK Day of Celebration and Service
The City is excited to announce the 8th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Celebration and Service will be held on Saturday, January 13 at the Vista Center for the Arts, 15660 N. Parkview Pl. This amazing event provides a way to serve the community with hands-on projects and a celebration for all ages filled with local musicians, performers and inspiring speakers.
Come enjoy this fun family event on Sunday, January 21, from 3 - 7 p.m. at Mark Coronado Park with live music from 8 Tracks and delicious food. Event admission is free; food and drink are available for purchase. Also, support local vendors by shopping at the outdoor market!
If you can’t make it to this event, join us for the next one on Sunday, February 18, with live music from N-the-Mix!
Surprise Pops Band
Enjoy an evening of music as the Surprise Pops Band performs on January 28 at The Vista Center for the Arts. The theme is “Heroes - Real and Imagined” and will feature music from the Blues Brothers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Highway of Heroes, Rocky and more! The concert is free; however, non-perishable food donations to support the Valley View Community Food Bank are appreciated.
Are you ready to discover arts and culture events in Surprise? From theater performances, gallery tours, poetry readings and more, the City offers a number of events throughout the year. Here's what’s coming up:
The next regularly scheduled City Council Meeting will take place on January 16 at 6 p.m. You can attend in person or watch live at surpriseaz.gov/SurpriseTV or the Surprise City Gov Facebook page at facebook.com/CityOfSurprise. Cox channel 11 also carries the meetings live. Agendas are always posted online a minimum of two days prior.
If you see something on the agenda that concerns you, please reach out before the meeting so I have time to address your concern. I may even ask your questions during the City Council presentation. The best way to reach me is chris.judd@surpriseaz.gov.
Community Meeting
Join me for my next D6 Community Meeting on January 17 at 6 p.m. at Tap House Sports Grill, located at 13699 N. Litchfield Rd. Let's discuss the latest City issues and answer any questions you may have.
The Surprise location of Barrio Queen is now open! Mayor Skip Hall, Councilmember Nick Haney, Councilmember Patrick Duffy, Councilmember Aly Cline and I joined Chaz Hopper, Surprise Barrio Queen General Manager, in celebrating their grand opening and ribbon cutting. The special event featured live entertainment, tastings and an appearance by the "real" Barrio Queen. Also partaking in the Grand Opening fiesta were Al Hank, Chief Operating Officer; Adam Lehr, Senior VP of Operations; Dallas Massey, VP Off-Premise and Marketing; Patrick Lacek, Area Director of Operations; Julio Mata, Head Chef; Magaly Cacheiro, Operations Training Manager; Andrew Patti, Marketing and Creative; Joe Patti, Public Relations; and Gennaro Garcia, Surprise Barrio Queen Artist. Welcome to Surprise! We're excited to have you! Barrio Queen Surprise is located at 13434 N. Prasada Pkwy.
City of Surprise Employee Holiday Luncheon
Every quarter, the City holds an Employee Appreciation Luncheon to celebrate its employees' hard work and dedication. This event is put together by the Employee Appreciation Committee, which is made up of employees from various departments. Last month’s luncheon was the final Employee Appreciation Committee event of 2023, and the fantastic volunteers put on a festive gathering that had everyone in the spirit of the holidays (despite the warm temperature)! I was honored to receive my five-year service award at the event, signifying an important milestone in my dedication to the City. Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy and participate.
Surprise Senior Services Holiday Party
On Monday, December 18, I attended the annual City of Surprise Senior Services Holiday Party at Briarwood Country Club. The event is held for members of the Senior Center to celebrate the holidays, which includes a catered lunch, live music and several raffle baskets. This year’s event had a surprise performance during lunch by the varsity pom team from Paradise Honors High School. Thank you to the Surprise Senior Center for hosting such a fun event!
SAVE THE DATE
Surprise Announces Inaugural Vet Fest
Surprise is excited to announce the inaugural Vet Fest event is happening Saturday, February 10, from 5 - 8 p.m. at Mark Coronado Park. This new event, hosted by the City of Surprise Veterans, Disability & Human Services Commission, is a part of Surprise’s ongoing mission to be a veteran-friendly city, offering support services and building community connections. This event will feature music, food, vendor booths, information from different veteran service providers and more for the whole family!
Spring Training single game tickets are on sale now! Opening day is Friday, February 23, with the Kansas City Royals taking on the 2023 World Series Champions, the Texas Rangers, at Surprise Stadium. Surprise Stadium will host 30 games this season with plenty of exciting matchups to include the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and the National League Champions, the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Tickets can be purchased online at SurpriseStadium.com or by phone at 623.222.2222. Ticket prices start at just $8! The Surprise Stadium Box Office will open for in-person ticket sales on Saturday, February 3, beginning at 8 a.m. AZ time. The box office is located at 15960 N. Bullard Ave. Additional information on 2024 special events, promotions and special offers are available at SurpriseStadium.com.
Curbside Recycling is Returning to Surprise
The City of Surprise, in partnership with Waste Management, is preparing to reintroduce a curbside recycling program. Starting Monday, March 4, recycling trucks will begin picking up blue curbside recycle bins and taking approved items to a recycling center for processing.
You can find more information on Surprise’s curbside recycling program and tips on how to “Recycle Wise” at surpriseaz.gov/Recycle.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SURPRISE!
Surprise was incorporated on December 12, 1960. We are celebrating 63 years!
