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Three years after the first baseball field in Surprise’s Original Townsite was demolished to make way for an affordable housing complex, city officials made good on their promise to replace the historic field and honor the man who first brought baseball to Surprise.

Some 50 community residents, city council members and staff gathered this month to celebrate the new youth baseball field at Floyd Gaines Park at Nash and Rimrock streets near Grand Avenue. 

The $2 million park was constructed sooner than anticipated after city officials said better than expected housing permits issued in 2020 resulted in a $31.5 million surplus in the year-end budget. The park, funded by a $1.5 million grant and $500,000 from the city’s general fund, includes a lighted and netted youth baseball field, restrooms, and a paved and lighted parking lot.

Gaines’ great-great-grandchild, Nixin Arias, threw out the first pitch on May 15. 

The late Floyd Gaines, who moved to the northwest Valley in 1954 and was elected to the Surprise City Council in 1967, advocated for funding to build the first baseball field and is credited with bringing the sport to Surprise in the late 1960s.

Neighbors and city officials hailed Gaines at the dedication ceremony as a community hero who gave Surprise a sense of heritage.

Family members, still heartsick over the loss of the original field, said they were nonetheless honored their grandfather’s legacy would live on through the eponymous park. 

Councilmember Ken Remley, who represents the area, smiled ear to ear and sighed with relief over the park’s completion. 

“That’s why we run for election — to make a difference in the community. Not for any other reason,” Remley said. “I didn’t care if I was ever reelected, but I wanted to restore some community pride over here. And that’s happening, big time.” 

Original field demolished for housing 

The original Floyd Gaines baseball field, across the street from the new park, was demolished in 2018 to make way for Heritage at Surprise, a 100-unit affordable housing complex where rent for a 2-bedroom apartment costs $627 a month.

Arizona in 2018 was short nearly 160,000 affordable housing units for people who were at or below extremely low income, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

Some housing advocates now say the state is short 200,000 affordable housing units, with most of that shortage in metropolitan Phoenix.  

Gloria Munoz, director of the county housing authority that spearheaded Heritage at Surprise, said then that the complex was part of a bigger mission to upgrade affordable housing in the Valley and lift up neglected neighborhoods.    

Emotions enflamed over park’s loss 

Some Surprise residents protested the complex late in the process.

Floyd Gaines’ granddaugter Lori Miller started a petition against the affordable-housing complex, arguing it would erase city heritage and bring traffic and crime to the area.

The petition gathered 770 signatures.

Gaines’ sons, Jerry and Dusty, told The Republic in 2018 the loss was unbearable. 

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Dusty and Jerry Gaines talk about the importance of the baseball field at Floyd Gaines Park in Surprise.

Arizona Republic

“It would break his heart,” said Jerry Gaines, leaning on the original’s field’s chain-link fence. “It’s breaking our hearts, actually.”

Trust restored

Misty Gaines Johnson, granddaughter of Floyd Gaines, celebrated the new park with about 40 others Gaines family members Saturday.

Johnson and a few other members of the family live within walking distance of the park and plan to visit often.

Her nephew Nixin Arias, who threw out the first pitch on the new field, will play there as part of the city’s T-ball team, Johnson said.  

The park, built to accommodate youth baseball teams, is smaller than the park she played on growing up, which hosted men and women’s teams, she said. 

Still, she’s grateful. Giving to kids is all her grandfather ultimately cared about, she said.

“It’s nice to see that the city didn’t just tear down his park and let it go. They actually took it upon themselves to make another field,” Johnson said. “It’s not the same as what we grew up on, but it’s still a legacy that keeps continuing.” 

Jerry Gaines and Connie Gaines-Gibson, son and daughter of Floyd Gaines, thanked the council and staff for their work.

Connie, who traveled from Oregon to attend the park unveiling, said she was excited for future memories to be made. 

“My memories are of the old park. A lot of history in that park, and it’s been heartbreaking to see it go,” she said. “But you see this beautiful field out here and you think — there’s going to be so many more kids in this community who are going to make memories with their family.” 

Remley said building the park was a difficult but worthwhile multi-year process that would reignite community pride. 

City spokesperson Virginia Mungovan said the city acquired four parcels of land for the park, one of which had to be condemned after Remley said the owner refused to sell. Condemnation is the legal process by which governments, such as cities, can enact eminent domain to forcefully take private land for public use, while paying fair market rate.

“I ran for office because I felt people weren’t being served,” Remley said. “Well, the people are being served.” 

Reach reporter Taylor Seely at [email protected] or 480-476-6116. Follow her on Twitter @taylorseely95 or Instagram @taylor.azc.

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