Jack Hastings: District 5 Newsletter — December 2023
Posted
Jack Hastings
By Jack Hastings
City Council was thrilled to kick-off the holiday season with our annual Christmas tree lighting at Surprise Party over the weekend. We flipped the switch to turn on the lights throughout the Surprise Recreation Campus! This year, you can enjoy more sparkle than before at our spectacular display of about 200,000 holiday lights and light features spanning the Surprise Recreation Campus, including Surprise Community Park and outside Surprise Stadium. Sparkling Surprise is a free attraction that runs through January 2, nightly from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. near 15960 N. Bullard Ave. Come and enjoy the new 40-foot-tall, 18,000 light Christmas tree, giant candy canes, Santa’s sleigh, light features on the lake and so much more!
For the safety of those attending our holiday events and walking around the City’s recreation campus, Bullard Avenue will be closed between Paradise Lane and Tierra Buena Lane – just south of Bell Road and just north of Greenway Road. This closure is now in place 24 hours a day through January 3. See map and details.
Bring joy to children in need by donating to the Surprise Police Department’s annual Holiday Toy Drive. If you would like to participate, please drop off a new, unwrapped toy in the manufacturer’s original packaging to a toy collection box at one of the following locations by December 17:
Surprise Police Department, 14250 W. Statler Plz.; Suite #103
The Irish Wolfhound Restaurant & Pub, 16811 N. Litchfield Rd.
Sun Village Community Center, 14300 W. Bell Rd.
Sunflower RV Resort, 16501 N. El Mirage Rd.
Arizona Traditions, 17221 N. Citrus Rd.
Spencer’s Place (Coffee Bistro), 15341 W. Waddell Rd. #B101
Walmart, 13770 W. Bell Rd.
Kingswood Family Chiropractic, 15508 W Bell Rd. #105
The Grand, Sonoran Plaza, 19789 N. Remington Dr.
The Grand, Cimarron Center, 17100 W. Clearview Dr.
The Grand, Adobe Center, 19775 N. Remington Dr.
Vista de la Montana Independent Senior Living, 18510 N. Parkview Plz.
Animal Medical Center of Surprise, 13839 W. Bell Rd. #109
Thank you for helping to spread holiday cheer in our community!
Arts & Culture Events
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:
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.
Single Game Tickets
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 will be released at a later date.
For questions or more information about Spring Training, please visit SurpriseStadium.com or call 623.222.2222.
November Highlights
Veterans Day Parade
What a beautiful celebration of our heroes at the 9th annual Veterans Day Parade! The event kicked off with a Luke Air Force Base flyover. Thank you to the community and the participants for showing your spirit, and of course, thank you to our veterans for your service and sacrifice.
Small Business Saturday Proclamation
At the Council Meeting on Tuesday, November 21, Mayor Hall proclaimed Saturday, November 25 as Small Business Saturday in Surprise. The proclamation was accepted by CJ Johnson with Maricopa Small Business Development Center. Small Business Saturday is celebrated nationwide as an opportunity to support small businesses and all they do for their communities.
Remember to shop local this holiday season to support our small businesses and keep your tax dollars at home to pay for roads, parks, public safety and more!
Save the Date
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 a hands-on projects, as well as a celebration for all ages filled with local musicians, performers and inspiring speakers.
In preparation for the celebration, the City is seeking sponsors, performers, art and essay contest submissions and community service volunteers.
Please note that I will not be hosting a Community Meeting in December. My next D5 Community Meeting will be on January 9 at 5 p.m. at Surprise Regional Library, located at 16089 N. Bullard Ave. I look forward to discussing the latest City issues and answering any questions you might have.
City Council Meetings
The next regularly scheduled City Council Meetings will occur on December 5 and 19 at 6 p.m. City Council meetings are open to in-person attendance, or you may tune in on surpriseaz.gov/SurpriseTV, the Surprise City Gov Facebook page at facebook.com/CityOfSurprise or on Cox channel 11 to watch the meetings live.
Thank you for signing up to receive my monthly newsletters! I am honored to serve you as your Surprise District 5 Councilman. One of my goals is to provide you with important City updates and information. I am always available to speak with you at jack.hastings@surpriseaz.gov, or by calling 623.222.1325. Please also follow me on Facebook at facebook.com/CouncilmemberHastings and visit my webpage surpriseaz.gov/District5. To receive my newsletters by email each month, please visit surpriseaz.gov/Subscribe and sign in or create an account. Then select text and/or email for “District 5 Council Updates” and any other news you may want to receive.
