Support for national whitewater training facility

Scotland is the only part of the UK without an artificial whitewater facility and our athletes have to spend valuable time and money travelling to Nottingham, Cardiff and Teeside to train.

There are plans for a national paddlesports facility in Glasgow. This would provide a high quality whitewater training facility and competition venue for outdoor watersports that we need.

This project, known as Pinkston Paddlesports Centre, is to be based on the Forth and Clyde Canal Canal at Port Dundas. It is going to transform a currently derelict site in to an accessible, urban hub of sporting activity. I visited this site today and found out more about paddlesports.

View of the currently derelict site at Port Dundas.

This area will be able to provide facilities for all types of canoeing, including 4 canoe polo pitches, a flat water section of the canal for training, coaching and general paddling, a white water course, canoe and boat storage facilities, an events area, and a boathouse.

This is an amazing opportunity to promote wider participation in sports, for people across a wide range of backgrounds and abilities, from newcomers to canoe athletes. We can build on the success of our London 2012 Olympians in the Canoe Slalom Doubles, David Florence and Tim Baillie.

Useful link:

Glasgow's Paddlesports Centre - http://www.glasgowcanal.co.uk/regeneration-projects/paddlesports-centre