Hundreds of young hockey fans gathered at a Rexdale rink to watch as the Toronto Maple Leafs ran drills and took shots on net in a public skate on Wednesday.
The Leafs took the ice for an outdoor practice at the Sunnydale Outdoor Rink, near Kipling Avenue and Westhumber Boulevard as the professional hockey team helped break in a newly-renovated public rink.
The crowd of at least 1,000 fans was forced to watch the show from behind a chain fence as a safety precaution.
In addition to Leafs players and coaches, Toronto councillor Doug Ford and former Leaf Wendel Clark were on hand for the community celebration.
Ford told CTV Toronto that it was a thrill to see a public skating rink renovated with corporate support and help from the Maple Leafs.
Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, the Leafs' parent company, invested over $150,000 to upgrade the rink, providing the Rexdale community with state-of-the-art rink boards that are lightweight for easy removal in the summer.
The rink will be opened up for a public skate immediately after the Leafs' practice.
Ford added that he and his brother, Mayor Rob Ford, would be lobbying the NHL for the city to host an outdoor Winter Classic game in the near future.
With files from CTV Toronto's John Musselman
