GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A volunteer group has launched a public campaign to raise money to complete a restoration project of Grand Rapids’ Rosa Parks Circle.

Ecliptic at Rosa Parks Circle Conservancy said it’s near its $2 million goal to restore, elevate and preserve the public space. The group is asking members of the public to donate to help them reach their goals.

“This space has become the beating heart … for this city,” conservancy board Chair Tripp Frey told News 8 in an interview via Zoom Tuesday. “It is where people go to celebrate, to demonstrate, to rally, to protest, to have their voices heard. This is a space that belongs to the residents of the city and the surrounding areas.”

The project, which is being funded by private and public sources, will add new lighting, renovate park structures — including the bathroom — and upgrade each feature with new and more durable materials, according to the nonprofit group. 

Ecliptic at Rosa Parks Circle Conservancy said construction is scheduled to start in spring 2021 and be completed on Sept. 6, 2021 — 20 years to the day of the park’s original dedication. 

More information about the project and how to donate can be found online.