Facility Overview
The St. Clare Church North Parking Lot serves the vibrant community of St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Parish, situated prominently along West Bell Road in Surprise, Arizona. This expansive, open-air surface parking facility provides convenient, level-grade parking directly adjacent to the parish center, church sanctuary, and administrative offices. Designed with wide driving lanes and generous standard-stall dimensions, the facility accommodates standard passenger vehicles, minivans, full-size SUVs, and large pickup trucks with ease. Because it is a completely open-sky asphalt surface lot with no overhead barriers or height restrictions, tall work vans, commercial utility vehicles, and roof-rack-equipped passenger trucks can park comfortably without vertical clearance concerns.
Prime Location & Nearby Attractions
Located in the heart of Surprise’s primary commercial and recreational corridor, this parking lot offers direct access to key neighborhood points of interest and regional amenities. The church facility is situated within a short 5-to-7 minute drive of the Surprise Recreation Campus, home to Surprise Stadium (the spring training headquarters for the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals) and the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex. Additionally, Ottawa University Arizona (OUAZ) and Surprise Community Park are located just two miles to the south. Visitors will also find immediate proximity to shopping and dining along Bell Road, including Surprise Marketplace and Surprise Crossing, featuring numerous national retailers, family restaurants, and casual eateries.
Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity
Ingress and egress are straightforward via marked driveways connecting to West Bell Road and adjacent neighborhood connector streets. West Bell Road serves as the principal east-west arterial across Surprise and the Northwest Valley, providing seamless connections to Loop 303 (Bob Stump Memorial Parkway) roughly 2.5 miles to the west and US Route 60 (Grand Avenue) approximately two miles to the east. Valley Metro Bus Route 106 operates along Bell Road, offering transit stops within walking distance of the entrance, while local micro-transit services and paratransit serve the immediate civic area.
Facility Amenities & Key Features
- Spacious open-air surface parking with clearly delineated directional striping
- No vertical clearance limitations, comfortably accommodating high-profile trucks and conversion vans
- Dedicated accessible (ADA) parking spaces conveniently located near church entrance walkways
- Well-illuminated paved grounds featuring exterior pole lighting for evening masses and parish functions
- Direct, curbless ramp connections to parish administrative offices, chapel, and gathering halls
- Free visitor and parishioner parking during services, sacraments, and community outreach events
Ideal For
- Parishioners and visitors attending weekend Catholic masses, holy days of obligation, and parish celebrations
- Families attending weddings, baptisms, funerals, and community religious education classes
- Visitors attending local diocesan ministry meetings, senior fellowship groups, and parish hall events
- Patrons seeking a recognized local meeting point near West Bell Road and the Surprise civic district
Visitor & Driver Tips
- Arrive 15 to 20 minutes prior to scheduled Sunday services and major holiday masses (such as Easter and Christmas) as spaces fill quickly.
- Exercise extra caution when departing onto West Bell Road during peak morning and late-afternoon commute hours due to heavy east-west traffic flow.
- Park in designated marked stalls only, ensuring pedestrian walkways, perimeter fire lanes, and ADA aisles remain unobstructed.
- Take note of desert heat during summer months by utilizing windshield sunshades, as the lot is entirely uncovered.
