Jack Hastings: District 5 Newsletter — January 2024
Posted
Jack Hastings
By Jack Hastings
My next District 5 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.
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
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.
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.
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:
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. It’ll feature music, food, vendor booths, information from different veteran service providers and more for the whole family!
Opening day is Friday, February 23, with the Kansas City Royals taking on the 2023 World Series Champions, the Texas Rangers. Surprise Stadium will host 30 games this season with plenty of exciting matchups, including the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, National League Champions and 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.
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.
City Council Meetings
The next regularly scheduled City Council Meetings will occur on January 16 and February 2 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 newsletter. The goal is to enhance community engagement and communication by providing important City updates, local events and initiatives. I aim to keep residents well-informed about district-specific matters and encourage active participation in community activities. You can reach me at jack.hastings@surpriseaz.gov, or by calling 623.222.1325. Also, follow me on Facebook at facebook.com/CouncilmemberHastings and visit my webpage surpriseaz.gov/District5.
