FOLEY, Ala. — The city of Foley will hold a ground-breaking ceremony for its Centennial Plaza this week.

The event is scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday at Heritage Park.

The plaza is set to serve as a monument to honor the 100-year anniversary of the Forward City’s incorporation on Jan. 8, 1915. City Administrator Mike Thompson said the municipality purchased the 52-foot musical clock tower, which is the focal-point of the plaza and is in storage.

“We’re excited about it,” he said in an interview.

He added that while city funds have been earmarked for the projects, fundraising efforts have already paid for a good portion of it.

“We’re well over $200,000 in terms of fundraising,” the city administrator said.

Thompson explained that plans for the city’s centennial celebration began to formulate about three years ago.

“We started thinking about our 100th anniversary back in 2011,” the city administrator said.

Plans were formed by several committees of volunteers who took on such duties as fundraising the plaza and bringing the project to reality, along with planning activities for the year-long anniversary celebration.

“This is all pushed forward by local citizens,” Thompson said.

Once ground is broken Thursday, the plaza is expected to be completed in time for the Christmas holidays.