Realising the potential of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games

The East of England is in a privileged position as host to two London 2012 Olympic Games venues – Mountain Biking at Hadleigh Farm, Essex and the White Water Canoe Slalom at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire.

The White Water Canoe Slalom in Hertfordshire
The White Water Canoe Centre in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire is being built in the borough of Broxbourne in Hertfordshire, just north of London and in the heart of the beautiful 26 mile long, 10,000 acre Lee Valley Regional Park.

It will first open for the summer of 2011 and will be the only brand new venue to open to the public before the 2012 Games, allowing visitors to raft the rapids ahead of the Olympians.

During the London 2012 Games 12,000 spectators will watch canoeists and kayakers from around the globe battle it out for gold.

The centre will then re-open to the public in 2013 and will be owned, funded and managed by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. The venue is expected to attract over 70,000 rafters and canoeists a year and will provide a fantastic venue for the area.

For more information visit www.gowhitewater.co.uk

Mountain Biking in Essex
The 2012 mountain bike event will be held at the Hadleigh Farm Olympic Mountain Biking Venue located close to Benfleet and Southend in Essex. The Salvation Army are the land owners and Essex County Council is working with them in respect of procuring the venue for the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Essex County Council are also working with English Heritage which has guardianship of Hadleigh Castle to ensure the venue is sympathetic to the historic environment and heritage.

The aspiration is for a long-term mountain biking facility which will include the Olympic Mountain Biking track, a skills/learning centre and other biking, sporting and recreational facilities. These facilities would be for the use of local people and the mountain biking community.

For more information go to www.essexlegacy.org