Under a soaring, majestic tree on the For Oak Cliff campus in Dallas, plans are taking root to replace heartache with hope.

"And so, we were just brainstorming as an organization, you know, what can we do to really change this narrative of what happened?" said Amber Hartfield, the For Oak Cliff director of operations. "It feels really personal."

That sentiment echoed across North Texas and the Dallas Police Department one year ago. That's when Officer Darron Burks was gunned down for simply pinning on a badge, ambushed while sitting in his patrol car in the For Oak Cliff parking lot.  

The community-based nonprofit is a safe space for children, so becoming a place associated with such a loss was especially difficult.

"We really want to stand out as a beacon of hope for the community," said Hartfield. "And that was shattered that day, literally and metaphorically. And so we didn't want our youth to come in this space and feel that way."

Memorial park honors Burks' legacy

Working with Officer Burks' mother  —  who during his memorial service last year described her son as having "love for everybody... he saw good in everybody..." — the organization began planning a memorial park. Hartfield said the tribute seemed a perfect way to bring joy back to the space and ensure that loss would not have the last word in Burks' story.

"The circular memorial will be basically situated right between these two trees, and there will be a pathway, some sort of walkway leading up to it," said Hartfield, while showing CBS News Texas the most recent renderings. "And then when you zoom in here, you've got the star, which his mother requested, just as a representation of his life and specifically elevated off the ground not to be walked on."

Fundraising underway for first phase

The group is still fundraising and hopes to break ground on the first phase of the project later this year. The memorial garden will be a peaceful gathering place for the community, with text and scripture central to Burks' life. Plans for the second phase include a playground, fitness area, and classroom — a nod to the officer's time as a teacher.

"The kids are going to love it," said Hartfield. "They're going to walk through the property, and they're going to walk under the big, beautiful tree that's out there. And they're going to see his monument and the life he represented. And I think it's going to give them a different perspective on life as a whole."

How to support the project

The community can contribute by visiting the North Texas Giving Day website. Look for the For Oak Cliff page, and from there navigate to the Officer Darron Burks Memorial Park.

"It's going to be beautiful," said Hartfield.