The city of Tracy will celebrate the opening of the new Sixth Street Plaza and the first stages of construction of the new Holly Sugar Youth Sports Fields early next week.

Things get under way Monday, April 30, at 3 p.m. with a ground breaking ceremony for the youth sports fields north of town on Tracy Boulevard and Sugar Road.

Work has technically begun to prep the land for 12 baseball fields and eight soccer pitches that will be built as part of a partnership between the city and local sports organizations.

Those groups include Tracy Babe Ruth, Tracy Little League, Tracy Youth Soccer League and the Tracy Futbol Club. The leagues will be responsible for construction, maintenance and operation of the fields, while the city is helping prepare the land.

On Tuesday, May 1, the city will dedicate and open the new plaza at Sixth Street and Central Avenue.

The block-long plaza began construction in August 2011, adding lawns, an interactive water feature, outdoor seating and roundabouts to the downtown area.

The new plaza will host a number of events starting with the Cinco de Mayo celebration on Friday, May 4.

The plaza’s grand opening will begin at 11 a.m., with refreshments following the ribbon cutting.