The Lee Valley White Water Centre has opened today for the 2014 season, following the completion of a £6.3m development and expansion project at the London 2012 venue.

Following on from the Olympics, the facility has now expanded to increase the capacity of its upstairs cafe area from 60 to 180 people, with additions made to cater for events and conferencing.

The improvements will also have a wide-reaching impact on GB Canoeing’s Slalom athletes' team, with the facility becoming a permanent base for athletes and their coaching teams, complete with a gym and physiotherapy suite.

The White Water centre now also has a south-facing cafe terrace, with an elevated wooden decking area to provide views over the Olympic Standard Competition course and the surrounding River Lee Country Park. There are also two new meeting rooms with progressive audio equipment, again with views over the park.

The centre has improved parking offerings too, with a new pavilion opening up further opportunities for outdoor meetings.

Lee Valley Regional Park Authority, British Canoe Union and Sport England have funded the development work, with the facility now set to host the ICF Canoe Slalom World Cup later this year.

Elsewhere, the Olympic legacy is having more positive repercussions, as the London Aquatics Centre prepares to open its doors to tomorrow, with the public being able to make use of the Zaha Hadid-designed facility.