Palm Coast Partnership Creates New Space for Residents to Honor Deceased Pets at Holland Park

The Saving Missing Animals Response Team (S.M.A.R.T.) of Flagler County, in collaboration with the City of Palm Coast and East Coast Animal Hospital, will dedicate “The Rainbow Bridge” memorial at Holland Park on Saturday, Jan. 17. Pets and the public are invited.

The ceremony, scheduled for 10 a.m., marks the official opening of a permanent installation designed for residents to memorialize deceased pets. The project, at 18 Florida Park Drive North, reflects a growing trend of public-private partnerships aimed at enhancing municipal park spaces with personal, community-funded monuments.

The dedication will include an official proclamation by city officials and remarks from project sponsors. Representatives from S.M.A.R.T. and East Coast Animal Hospital will discuss the memorial’s integration into the park’s landscape.

A central feature of the bridge allows residents to purchase and attach custom-engraved tags bearing the names of their pets. The proceeds from the tags support S.M.A.R.T.’s ongoing animal rescue and recovery operations in Flagler County.

“This is a way for our community to come together—remembering the pets we’ve loved while supporting the lifesaving work that continues every day,” said Caroline Johnson, the founder of S.M.A.R.T.

The event is open to the public, and organizers noted that leashed pets are welcome to attend. Information regarding the purchase of memorial tags is available through the organization’s website.