(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- The Rainbow Bridge Memorial Project is coming to Elysian Park in Hoboken in 2026. It was created as a community-led effort in partnership with the City of Hoboken, WISE Animal Rescue, and The Local Girl Media Group.
Founded by Jennifer Tripucka, creator and Publisher of The Local Girl and The Hoboken Girl, the project was born from a deep love of animals and a desire to create a permanent, peaceful physical space where residents can honor pets who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
“This project is incredibly personal to me,” said Tripucka. “Our pets are family and walk with us through every season of life, so when we lose them, the grief is real and lasting. This is something that brings people from all walks of life together, and I wanted to create something meaningful for our community, a place that acknowledges that love and gives everyone a gathering place to reflect, remember and heal.”
A GoFundMe has been launched for project supplies and any surplus will be donated directly to WISE Animal Rescue, the project's official nonprofit partner.
The Rainbow Bridge Memorial is being developed in partnership with the City of Hoboken, bringing together local leadership, animal advocates and design experts.
Mayor Emily Jabbour and Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher are guiding community engagement, WISE Animal Rescue is providing expertise in animal welfare, Eiko La Boria of The Flow Initiative is leading programmatic support, Dr. Lisa Lippman is offering pet loss guidance and Jamie Silva, P.E (Licensed Professional Engineer ), is leading the memorial’s engineering design and donating his time to bring the structure to life. The Stevens Institute of Technology Senior Design Team is helping bring the vision to life through part of their academic coursework.
The memorial will feature a small pedestrian bridge structure designed with vibrant rainbow elements and artistic details inspired by the pets of our community. Visitors will be able to leave their pets’ collars at the rainbow bridge in remembrance of their beloved pet. The bridge is meant as a symbol, integrated into the natural beauty of Elysian Park, where pets are reunited with their owners in a peaceful afterlife, free from illness or pain.
Inspired by the beloved “Rainbow Bridge” poem as well as The Rainbow Bridge in Lake Lure, North Carolina, the space is intended to offer comfort, connection, and reflection. It will serve as a meaningful public installation where families and individuals can celebrate the lives of their cherished pets while finding peace in a shared community experience. Local residents and businesses will have opportunities to support the project through the GoFundMe set up to raise funds for this initiative. Additional initiatives, sponsorships and ways to participate will be announced in the coming months.
The Local Girl Media Group (and The Hoboken Girl) brands have always been rooted in celebrating community, raising over $100,000 for local non-profits over the last few years as a community-first media brand of journalists and editors. The Rainbow Bridge Memorial Project is a continuation of that mission. By partnering with local leaders, organizations, and Stevens Institute of Technology, this initiative aims to create something lasting for Hoboken’s pet-loving community.
WISE Animal Rescue is a Hoboken-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing dogs and cats from high-risk situations and placing them into loving, permanent homes. The 100% volunteer-based nonprofit focuses on providing medical care, foster placement, and adoption services while promoting responsible pet ownership and animal welfare within the community. Through its volunteer network and community partnerships, WISE has helped thousands of animals find safe and happy homes throughout the Greater New Jersey region.
