Youngsters from Melksham Canoe Club took to the water on Saturday, to celebrate the recent refurbishment of their headquarters.

Work has been ongoing at the Melksham Adventure Centre for several years, with new changing rooms opened in 2010, and the latest phase of the redevelopment is now completed.

The main hall upstairs has now been refurbished, complete with a new kitchen, and a training room with a projector has also been opened.

The centre, at the King George V playing fields, is used by the canoe club daily, as well as by Melksham Rugby Club, which uses its gym equipment. It is also used for equine podiatry courses, and by Melksham Fine Art Society.

Jon Finch, chairman of the centre, said: “Every time someone rents the building, that money goes back into improving its facilities.

“We still need to finish working on the toilets, and then we want to lower the ceiling in the main hall to warm it up a bit.

“It’s a long-term development, because we can’t do it all in one go.”

The open day saw members of the Canoe Club out on the water, and was attended by Melksham’s mayor, Cllr Chris Petty, and other members of the council, as well as Duncan Hames MP.

Mr Hames said: “I was here a few years ago and it’s really impressive to see how much it’s all changed. It’s great that so many kids are getting involved, and I hope they’re able to keep up the good work they do here.”

The canoe club will soon begin regular training with sessions for beginners every Saturday and Wednesday.

Mr Finch said: “If people just want to come down and mess about on the river they can, or if they want to compete for Team GB and win medals, we have the facilities in place now to do that.”