Welwyn Garden City councillor Malcolm Cowan takes a look around an Olympic venue on our doorstep.

But this week WGC borough and county councillor Malcolm Cowan was given a sneak preview around the only purpose-built Olympic venue which will be open to the public ahead of the 2012 Games.

The centre, near Waltham Cross, will host the canoe slalom events and will become a major white water rafting and canoe attraction.

Cllr Cowan, who is also a member of the Lea Valley Regional Park Authority and is pictured above, was overwhelmed by the spectacular venue.

He said: “As we arrived, they turned on the pumps to put water into the intermediate course; in minutes a basin of concrete had filled with water and the rapids were bursting with life.

“Then we went on to see the Olympic course – it had canoeists and kayakers; they said it is the best white water course in the world.

“It is fantastic for Hertfordshire to have this close at hand.”