Fayetteville Mayor Lioneld Jordan speaks before a ribbon cutting ceremony at St. Joseph Park Monday evening.

Photos: Todd Gill, Flyer staff

City officials and residents of the Washington-Willow Historic District gathered Monday evening to celebrate the completion of Fayetteville’s newest park.

The roughly 0.2-acre St. Joseph Park is located at 311 E. Lafayette St. on the grounds of the former St. Joseph’s Catholic Church campus.

The new public park offers a relaxing setting for informal outdoor plays, reading, picnicking and open play. The park includes benches, trees and a terraced seating area that features bricks engraved with the names of residents who donated construction funds.

The park property was dedicated to Fayetteville in 2004 to meet the requirements of the city’s Park Land Dedication Ordinance for the development of the St. Joseph’s Condominiums project which involved converting the former sanctuary, schoolhouse and rectory of the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church into luxury condominiums.

The project was funded with Parks Development (HMR tax) funds and money raised by the Washington Willow Neighborhood Association.