Surprise residents 'getting tired' of waiting for new park

Residents of one of the biggest housing developments in Surprise have waited a long time, but they may soon see progress in the completion of their neighborhood park.

Nearly 100 people attended the Community and Recreation Services Commission meeting June 18 to share their thoughts on plans for the Surprise Farms community park.

Commission Director Mark Coronado said the development agreement for Surprise Farms was signed in 1992, and that builders of the development proposed the park to residents more than seven years ago.

The city has allotted about $1.6 million for improvements to the park in fiscal 2014-15. The money will go toward developing about 10 acres of the east end of the park.

Surprise Farms community park is about 57 acres.

"We are still in the conceptual phase. The $1.6 million isn't enough, but it will begin the progress. We want to prioritize and stretch the (funds) as much as we can," Coronado said. "It's not fair to the residents to leave this park vacant. We're not going to walk away."

Building a showcase park would cost as much as $30 million, but officials instead are trying to build as much as they can with whatever money is available and there is no overall target for how much money the city will need to complete the project.

The turnout, which included a number of council members, nearly broke the attendance record for a recreation commission meeting, officials said.

Commissioners and residents had a spirited discussion about the amenities proposed for the park, including a dog park, skate park and splash pad.

Many residents welcomed the progress, but some longtime residents of Surprise Farms are concerned that nothing will happen.

They said they've gone through a number of meetings for public input on the park since at least 2006 only to encounter broken promises.

As their pets and grandchildren have grown up, they have acted as markers in the portrait of an incomplete park, residents said.

Connie Brisson was one of the first homebuyers in Surprise Farms in 2004.

She said the builder promised a beautiful park where she would be able to spend time with her daughter's soon-to-be-born son. Her grandson Logan now is 9.

In 2007, ownership of the park land was transferred to the city.

Since then, the western portion of the park has four completed softball fields but has a yet-to-be-built aquatic center.

"The homeowners are getting tired," said Brisson, who is vice president of Surprise Farms Phase 2. "There have been too many promises made and not enough promises kept."

Andy Cepon, also one of the first homeowners in Surprise Farms, said he marks the progress of the park by the growth of his dog, who was born in 2007, when the council approved the design contract for the east section of the park.

Since then, grass and rocks for the parking lot have been added.

Cepon said a multimillion-dollar bond is needed to complete the park and fund parks citywide.

Surprise is hundreds of acres behind on building parks, based on the last master plan, which was developed in 2008. The city has about 300 acres of park space despite the plan's goal for 1,550 acres by 2012.

"The $1.6 million is not enough. It's a Band-Aid," he said. "You'd think this would have been a completed showcase park by now. We've been through meetings so many times, and it has gone through the proper process, but here we are, all over again."

City staff anticipated that all improvements to the park would have been completed in June of 2009.

But Coronado said the recession and the unexpected drop-off of residential building permits about eight years ago slowed progress on the park.

Coronado hopes to break ground on the east side of the park during the first part of next year.

Councilman Roland Winters said it's time to move forward with the park.

"We need to stop talking about it and start somewhere," Winters said.

Park improvements

The Surprise City Council has approved about $1.68 million in fiscal 2014-15 for facility improvements at Surprise Farms community park. The proposed improvements conceptually include:

• Restrooms.
• Basketball court.
• Drinking fountains.
• Lighted paved parking lots.
• Tot lot playground with proposed shade.
• Age 5-12 playground with proposed shade.
• Two large ramadas (12 by 24 feet) and three small ramadas (12 by 12 feet).
• Dog park.
• Fitness stations.
• Skate park.
• Splash pad.

Surprise Farms Park Timeline

September 2006: Design of western section of the park completed with the exception of the future aquatic facility, which has yet to be built. Council approves transfer of the property to the city.

November 2006: Property transfer was determined to be invalid because of inaccuracies with the Maricopa Water District easement shown on the property description.

January 2007: Property description is corrected and city receives the deed to the property.

Nov. 29, 2007: Council approves design contract for the eastern section of the park.

April 24, 2008: Council approves contract for the construction of improvements on the western section of the park.

June 2008: Groundbreaking ceremony held on western section. Council adds $1.6 million to project budget in fiscal 2009 annual budget for basic improvements (seeding, irrigation and concrete walking paths) on the eastern section of the park.

Sept. 11, 2008: Council approves contract for construction of basic improvements on the eastern section of the park.

June 2009: Anticipated date of completion for all construction improvements in both the western and eastern sections of the park.

Sept. 23, 2013: Public is presented recommendations and provided input on Surprise Farms and other park facility improvement projects.

June 18: Residents provide input on proposed amenities for Surprise Farms park.

August: The commission will present new site-plan proposal for the eastern side of the park to the City Council.

Source: Surprise