For the first time in over 25 years, a new state-of-the-art ice rink is being built in Toronto.

Four former Toronto Maple Leafs hockey captains were in Etobicoke Wednesday morning breaking ground on the new Lakeshore Lions Arena.

Wendel Clark, who appeared at the groundbreaking with fellow former Leafs captains Doug Gilmour, Darryl Sittler and Rick Vaive, said current arenas are too outdated for today's game.

"A lot of the dressing rooms were built for 10 to 12 guys, not 12 to 20 guys so that's just the changing of the game, the changing of the sport and it's tough to change old buildings," Clark told CTV Toronto.

The facility will have four ice pads -- three of them will be the same size used by the NHL and the fourth will be Olympic-sized.

The rink will be used by the Greater Toronto Hockey League association, the American Hockey League Marlies and will also be the training ground site for the Maple Leafs. The Leafs have been holding practices at the current Lakeshore Lions Arena for years.

The 260,000-square foot arena will be located on Kipling Avenue and New Toronto Street. By the time the facility is built, it will have cost about $34 million.

Mark Grimes, the city councillor for the area, said the building won't cost taxpayers a penny, thanks to new partnerships.

"If I had to rely on council to get a four-pad arena built, I'd be old and grey before one got built," he said. "We have to think outside the box. We have to look at new partnerships.

"We have many partners here that are involved and so its gong to be absolutely fantastic," he continued.

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment has committed $5.5 million to the project. The local Lions Club will pay for the rest through fundraising and private equity.

"We're excited to partner with the Lions Club and Canada's sports leaders to develop what will become an epicentre for hockey and a global model that caters to every level from grassroots to high performance," Bob Hunter, executive vice-president of venues and entertainment for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, said in a news release.

"The facility will be a great community asset that makes the sport accessible, while at the same time, supporting the growth and development of hockey in Canada."

Construction is expected to be complete by September 2009 -- in time for Leafs training camp.

With a report from CTV Toronto's John Musselman