The City of Grand Rapids today rededicated Ecliptic at Rosa Parks Circle in partnership with the Rosa Parks Circle Conservancy following a rehabilitation project.
Parks and Recreation Director David Marquardt said that impressive public use at the large-scale, interactive piece of art had taken its toll over the last twenty years, but the improvements restore, elevate, and preserve it for continued use.
“When this space was first dedicated over 20 years ago, we never could have anticipated Ecliptic’s success,” Marquardt said. “With over 700,000 annual visitors, it was clear that this project would benefit the residents of Grand Rapids and beyond in a major way.”
The improvements at Ecliptic at Rosa Parks Circle – located at 135 Monroe Center Street NW – include upgrades to the existing stage, replacement of the existing concrete rings with durable granite, renovations to the restroom building, new granite and wood benches, interpretive signage, upgraded trail surfacing, and additional shade trees. A new 3D bronze plaque and sitemap will be installed later this summer.
Noted artist and architect Maya Lin – whose work includes the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. – created the 3.5-acre Ecliptic in 2000. Ecliptic’s theme of water in all forms – liquid, solid, and vapor – is a nod to the city's name, with the idea of a drop of water in a still pool, rings moving ever outward.
Over the past 20 years, this site-specific work created a civic space for public gathering and expression and has become an integral part of the city’s downtown culture. The Ecliptic at Rosa Parks Circle Conservancy is working to support the continued conservation of the artwork and its function as a central gathering place for summer concerts, winter ice skating and everyday, informal meetings of diverse user groups who find the spaces and ideas expressed by the work of art conducive to public assembly.
“Over the years since its initial installation, Ecliptic at Rosa Parks Circle has become the beating heart of Grand Rapids' urban center,” said Tripp Frey of the Conservancy. “This important renovation honors Maya Lin’s artistic vision and ensures the space can be enjoyed for decades to come.”
The $3 million project is made possible through $860,000 of funding from the from the City’s Parks Millage, $550,000 from the Downtown Development Authority and the remaining costs provided by private philanthropic donations through the Conservancy. The project team includes Progressive AE and Granger Construction Company.
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