CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Children's on Monday announced the creation of a new park in Avondale that's named after a late community leader and educator: William Joel McCray.

What You Need To Know

  • The William Joel McCray Community Park is located across the Cincinnati Children's Critical Care Building on Erkenbrecher Avenue, and has 1.5 acres

  • McCray died at 97 in 2020, and he was a resident of Erkenbrecher Avenue for more than 50 years

  • There will be a celebration of the park's opening from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 1

The William Joel McCray Community Park is located across the Cincinnati Children's Critical Care Building on Erkenbrecher Avenue, and has 1.5 acres. 

McCray died at 97 in 2020, and he was a resident of Erkenbrecher Avenue for more than 50 years. He was also a longtime educator at South Avondale School. 

Monica Mitchell, a pediatric psychologist who is assistant vice president for Community Relations at Cincinnati Children’s, said in a press release that the park focuses on promoting health, wellness and community engagement.

“These goals are consistent with our mission and Mr. McCray’s inspiring life and legacy,” Mitchell said in a press release.

Some of the features of the park include a play area, exercise equipment, meditation space, a garden, an amphitheater, a Little Free Library book-sharing box and a pad for food trucks. 

“The park is wonderful and is an example of who he was as a person,” said Linda McCray Bray, a cousin of William Joel McCray, in a press release. “He cared for every single detail of his yard and had the most beautiful flowers and plants. He always opened his home and his heart to others. It will be great to see children come to the park and play and learn.”

McCray Bray's husband, Early Bray Jr., was a student of the late McCray. 

“He always encouraged others to be better and to excel. That is who he was. He was an extraordinary person," said Bray Jr. 

Before becoming an educator in the Avondale area, McCray graduated from the Harriet B. Stowe School in 1940, enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served during World War II. He also graduate from what is now all the University of Cincinnati College of Education in 1954. 

He was also known to be a support of the arts in his community, such as being one of the co-founders of the Robert S. Duncanson Society at the Taft Museum of Art in 1986. It was named for the Black artist who painted landscape murals in the 1850s in the entry hall of the Taft Museum in downtown Cincinnati. Additionally, McCray was also a founding member of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Multicultural Awareness Council.

There will be a celebration of the park's opening from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 1. The celebration will be children's activities, giveaways, games, a DJ and food trucks.

Correction: The previous version of this article misspelled Robert S. Duncanson Society. This has been corrected. (April 22, 2024)