Slough's Jubilee Riverside Centre to open next month

The project wants to make rowing and canoeing on the Jubilee River a regular feature

A new community water sports centre in Slough is to open in August on land donated by Eton College.

The Jubilee Riverside Centre aims to encourage local residents to take up rowing and canoeing on the Jubilee River following the 2012 Olympic Games.

The £100,000 modular building will house canoes and boats, as well as offer shower and toilet facilities.

Project leader Jamie Green said: "It's a project that wouldn't have been possible without Eton College."

The centre is funded by Sport England, British Rowing and Slough Borough Council among others.

The idea is to encourage water sports in Slough after London 2012, as the Olympic rowing events were held at nearby Dorney Lake.

Mr Green said: "We've got this wonderful river that's manmade so we haven't got the ethos of taking everyone down to the river, it's not like we've had a river there all the time Slough has been around."

The Jubilee River was created in 2002 to take overflow from the River Thames.

Eton offered the land for a 20-year peppercorn lease.

An Eton College spokeswoman said: "We are keen to engage with our local communities and help wherever possible.

"We hope the new facility will encourage more young people from the local area to participate in water sports for many years to come."