Luna Bella, a Pomeranian-husky mix, sits on the turf during the grand opening of the Chewy Bark Park at 4579 Ponce de Leon Blvd. in Coral Gables, Florida, on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.
SAM NAVARRO
Special for the Miami Herald
A long-awaited dog park opened Saturday in Coral Gables as part of The Underline, a 10-mile linear park that stretches underneath the Metrorail tracks from the Miami River to Dadeland South.
The Chewy Bark Park is located at 4579 Ponce de Leon Blvd., near Southwest 42nd Street and Grand Avenue in Coral Gables, across from Trader Joe’s. The park was developed through a partnership between the city of Coral Gables, The Underline, and the Broward-headquartered online pet retailer Chewy, the park’s naming sponsor.
The Bark Park, which is near the Douglas Metro station, is Chewy’s first-ever dog park and is the latest off-leash, dog friendly-space to pop up in the Gables.
A golden retriever named Poppy chews on a piece of mulch during the grand opening of the Chewy Bark Park at 4579 Ponce de Leon Blvd. in Coral Gables, Florida, on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
The park features designated play areas for small and large dogs, hydration and waste stations, tunnels and other features to encourage dogs to run and have fun with each other, according to Lisle Bowen, chief marketing officer for Friends of The Underline. The space is expected to be open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Bowen told the Miami Herald that the park’s goal is to not just provide “a safe place” for pets to play but also to help their owners get to know each other.
“What we’re trying to do is really bring experiences that kind of elevate community and give community a reason to gather,” Bowen said.
Alexander Macia, 5, plays by a tunnel for dogs during the grand opening of the Chewy Bark Park. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
Saturday’s grand opening celebration of Chewy Bark Park also served as an opportunity for dog lovers to adopt a new pup during an adoption event fueled by an initiative led by Our Lady of Lourdes Academy students and Pawject Pound co-founders Presley Bligh and Ana Sosa.
“Having worked for more than 10 years to help bring The Underline to life, I’m especially excited to celebrate the opening of this segment, made even more meaningful by the opportunity to support pet adoption and recognize the leadership of these two students,” Mayor Vince Lago said in his newsletter to residents ahead of the opening.
Take a look at Saturday’s event:
Hazel, a longhaired dachshund, looks on from the arms of her owner, Marcy, during the grand opening of the Chewy Bark Park. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
Devo, a rat terrier, sticks his tongue out while waiting for a treat from his owner Michael Berkowitz during the grand opening of the Chewy Bark Park. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
Lady Villanelle, a sheepadoodle, sits on the turf during the grand opening of the Chewy Bark Park. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
Bodhi, a German shorthaired pointer, sniffs the camera lens during the grand opening of the Chewy Bark Park. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
A Pomeranian-husky mix named Luna Bella, left, plays with French bulldog Baby Biscuit, right, during the grand opening of the Chewy Bark Park. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
Baby Biscuit, a French bulldog, sniffs the camera lens during the grand opening of the Chewy Bark Park. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
Milkshake, a 7-month-old, 70-pound Great Dane, explores the new Chewy Bark Park during its grand opening at 4579 Ponce de Leon Blvd. in Coral Gables, Florida. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
Enzo, a Pomeranian, sticks his tongue out while waiting in line for a photo during the grand opening of the Chewy Bark Park. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
A dog looks through a tunnel during the grand opening of the Chewy Bark Park. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
Bruce Williams, left, carries a Welsh terrier named Piper while playing a game of spin-the-wheel with Lazaro Montano, right, during the grand opening of the Chewy Bark Park. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
Oliver, a miniature longhaired dachshund, stands on his hind legs with the help of his owner, Paula Galvis, during the grand opening of the Chewy Bark Park. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
Autumn, a goldendoodle, arrives with John Crosby during the grand opening of the Chewy Bark Park. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
(From left) Coral Gables Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, Commissioner Richard Lara, Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez and Mayor Vince Lago celebrate the opening of the Chewy Bark Park on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in Coral Gables, Florida. SAM NAVARRO Special for the Miami Herald
Other dog parks in Coral Gables
The city already allows leashed dogs at 27 of its over 60 parks. Dogs can be off-leash in the sandy dog park section of Salvadore Park at 1120 Andalusia Ave. and at a fenced dog park that is part of the 1505 Ponce development. An off-leash park for small dogs is also adjacent to the Villa Valencia condo complex.
Another dog park is also in the works near the Coral Gables public library, though not every resident is happy about it.
This story was originally published February 1, 2026 at 2:35 PM.
Follow More of Our Reporting on An inside look at Miami
Michelle Marchante covers the pulse of healthcare in South Florida and also the City of Coral Gables. Before that, she covered the COVID-19 pandemic, hurricanes, crime, education, entertainment and other topics in South Florida for the Herald as a breaking news reporter. She recently won first place in the health reporting category in the 2025 Sunshine State Awards for her coverage of Steward Health’s bankruptcy. An investigative series about the abrupt closure of a Miami heart transplant program led Michelle and her colleagues to be recognized as finalists in two 2024 Florida Sunshine State Award categories. She also won second place in the 73rd annual Green Eyeshade Awards for her consumer-focused healthcare stories and was part of the team of reporters who won a 2022 Pulitzer Prize for the Miami Herald’s breaking news coverage of the Surfside building collapse. Michelle graduated with honors from Florida International University and was a 2025 National Press Foundation Covering Workplace Mental Health fellow and a 2020-2021 Poynter-Koch Media & Journalism fellow. Support my work with a digital subscription
