Tampa Riverwalk Opens Two New Small- and Large-Dog Runs at Curtis Hixon

City of Tampa officials cut the ribbon Feb. 19 on two purpose-built dog parks sited between Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park and Kiley Gardens along the Tampa Riverwalk, creating separate fenced runs for small and large dogs that together total what the city calls nearly 7,000 square feet. City materials and WUSF list the small-dog park at 1,980 square feet and the large-breed run at 4,900 square feet, with the City noting that “More than $1.4 million was invested in these two thoughtfully designed dog parks and other park improvements.”

The small-breed run is described as notched into the terraced landscaping beds adjacent to the palms and Four Green Fields, while the large-breed park sits on the lower elevation closer to the Hillsborough River and replaced a landscaped seating area. WUSF reported crews relocated the existing Tampa Dog Run at Curtis Hixon to make room for the Tampa Museum of Art’s expansion footprint, and Centennial project materials list the two new parks explicitly as “Two new dog parks replacing the existing Tampa Dog Run.”

Design and construction for the dog parks were carried out as part of the Tampa Museum of Art’s Centennial Expansion collaboration with the City of Tampa, the Downtown Community Redevelopment Agency, and the City’s Parks and Recreation Department, with Weiss/Manfredi credited as the project designer on Centennial project pages. Funding ties to the museum are explicit: the dog parks and related park work were covered as part of a $24.75 million reimbursement grant approved by the CRA for the museum’s overall expansion project. Michael Tomor, the Penny and Jeff Vinik executive director of the Tampa Museum of Art, said the open footprint has brought a “renewed excitement” to the team.

Amenities documented across city and Centennial materials include shade structures, tree canopies and oak trees, water fountains and dog fountains, dog play elements, waste stations, and shaded seating, plus improved pedestrian access from Ashley Drive and elevator access to the Poe Parking Garage as part of adjacent site work. Centennial’s Quick Facts list the project kickoff as August 2025 with an estimated construction period of 4-5 months and note that construction would not affect access to the Tampa Riverwalk or public restrooms; the city maintained the existing dog park open until the new runs were complete.

City of Tampa release language includes Mayor Jane Castor’s comments: “The Riverwalk and Curtis Hixon Park, already beautiful and welcoming, are all that and more now,” and “This collaborative project has delivered these fantastic new dog parks, and now the Tampa Museum can take over the old dog park, making room to expand, including a glass pier on the Hillsborough River.” Centennial materials further describe the broader Centennial Expansion as a transformation of 80,000 square feet around the west museum campus and call for a four-story, 55,000-square-foot glass pier on the Hillsborough River.

One technical discrepancy remains in published figures: City of Tampa and WUSF list the large-dog park at 4,900 square feet while Centennial’s Quick Facts list 4,500 square feet; city and WUSF both use the combined “nearly 7,000 square feet for pups” wording that aligns with the 1,980 + 4,900 total. The two new runs now occupy the site between Curtis Hixon and Kiley Gardens and open as the museum prepares its larger Riverside expansion.