Novice and veteran hockey players gathered on Saturday morning for the launch of Regent Park’s revamped hockey rink, a milestone in the community’s revitalization efforts.

The launch of the rink near Shuter St. and Sumach St. included a Learn to Skate Clinic for 40 young people from Regent Park, speeches by organizations involved in the revitalization project, as well as a community skate with Maple Leafs alumni Wendel Clark, Gary Leeman and Mark Osborne.

Members of Canada’s 1993 and 1994 National Junior teams also came out to the opening, as did Ward 28 Councillor Pam McConnell, among others.

“The previous rink had broken guards around it that would allow the puck to exit the space unsafely,” says MLSE corporate communications coordinator Akasha Di Tomasso of the facelift. “To prevent this, fencing was added around the rink.”

The rink’s boards were also replaced and the ice was inlaid with MLSE Foundation and Hockey Canada Foundation logos.

In addition, the field house was improved with new washrooms, cubbies, benches, and matting.

“Overall, the space has become much safer for youth to play in,” says Di Tomasso.

The rink is only the first of three planned components of the Regent Park Athletic Grounds, which will also house a new basketball court and an artificial turf soccer or cricket pitch.

Construction on the athletic grounds, a capital project of the MLSE Foundation, developed together with Toronto Community Housing, the Hockey Canada Foundation, The Daniels Corp., and the City of Toronto began in May of 2014. It is expected to be completed by this coming fall.

Aside from the athletic grounds project, this phase of the Regent Park revitalization will bring 600 Toronto Community Housing rental units and more than 2,000 market condominium units built by The Daniels Corporation into the community.