Dogs & Cats Sculpture Garden Officially Inaugurated
Politicians in congratulatory mode, park functionaries, artists, and a beautiful and impervious afternoon at Maurice Ferre Park.
The Dogs and Cats Sculpture Garden, Commissioner Carollo’s pet project at Maurice Ferré Park, was officially inaugurated last Friday. City of Miami Commissioners Christine King, Manolo Reyes and Mayor Francis Suarez attended the ceremony. Mayor Francis Suarez lauded it with words to the effect that the Cats and Dogs Sculpture Garden was the new face of the global city that he envisioned. He wielded statistics, too: property value in the neighborhood has increased because of the metal sculptures. Miami has the highest percentage of veterinarians per capita, he said, a fact that gave Commissioner Carollo’s pets an established network — not quite sure what he meant.
Commissioner Carollo, who is also the Bayfront Park Management Trust chair, praised the 50 artists responsible for decorating 57 cats and dogs. “I was amazed by just how much of that talent we have in Miami.”
Many of those present commented on the abundance flowers — colorful as the cats and dogs. For example, former City Commissioner Keon Hardemon said: “Commissioner Carollo gave all of us in Miami City our flowers.”
The garden or walk is the brainchild of Commissioner Carollo’s wife, inspired by a park in Cali, Colombia. The Commissioner mentioned a few detractors, people who opposed his vision for Maurice Ferré Park, the haters. These people had to be dismissed, advised Mayor Suarez, because what “Commissioner Carollo has done is a pure act of goodness.”
Local Residents
One of the few local residents at the park during the ceremony, which was by invitation only, walking her own dog, conceded that she had opposed the idea of a Dogs and Cats Garden in the park across her home. But now that the idea became a reality, even if the sculptures didn’t live up to her aesthetic sensibility, “it was nice … Lots of children come and play around the cats and dogs while parents photograph them.” In contrast, just a few months ago, “this space in the park was an eyesore, with mattresses and tents scattered around for the increasing homeless population. It was a hotspot for drugs and crime. Certainly not the urban gem this park was meant to be.”
Reporting on the official inauguration, the Miami Herald mentioned that back in 2021, “the project drew scrutiny after it was quickly approved with little discussion or competitive bidding ... The Board voted yes to a $896,000 contract with local foundry Art and Sculpture Unlimited Inc. to design, cast and install the statues without any debate or negotiation on price.”
“Now, it is, really, kind of nice,” said the same local resident before darting after her pooch that went chasing a squirrel.
