The Pima County Board of Supervisors has approved a $25,000 appropriation for a living memorial to be built in the Oro Valley.

The memorial, which will be the first in Southern Arizona to serve as a central place to honor veterans and first responders, will be erected on 2.58 acres at Naranja Park. The project is slated for a formal dedication in early 2019, according to the county.

The memorial is meant to serve as a “place of solemn honor, reflection and education dedicated to those who have served or continue to serve their communities, state and nation,” executive committee member Kay Williams said in a press release.

The memorial, “Stars at Home and Abroad,” will feature a design with a 90-foot star base and a 24-foot middle high tower with permanent solar lighting, according to the county. The star points will include a 15-foot wall with a bronze medallion for each U.S. Department of Defense military branch along with medallions of the first responders and the National Guard. 

“This memorial honors all of the men and women who have served our country and communities with bravery and honor,” Pima County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bronson said in a statement. “It’s long-overdue recognition of all they do to keep us safe.”