London Regatta Centre
Encyclopedia
The London Regatta Centre, a state-of-the-art rowing
centre, is located in the heart of the Docklands area in the East End of London
. It is built at the west end on the north of the historic Royal Albert Dock
directly opposite London City Airport
. The site is owned by the Royal Albert Dock Trust, and is home to the Royal Docks Rowing Club, Raging Dragons
Dragon Boat
Club, Thames Dragons, and Typhoon DBC.
The Regatta
Centre was practically completed in September 1999. It was opened formally March 2000, by HRH the Princess Royal
. The building was designed by the award-winning Ian Ritchie Architects
. The 200 year lease on the land for the centre was to the Royal Albert Dock Trust, by the London Docklands Development Corporation
.
The centre boasts a 2,000 metre course, with seven lanes plus a return lane. The existing 1,750 metre length of the dock was extended to 2,000 by the removal and replacement of the Woolwich Manor Way Bridge at the east of the dock. The new bridge was built further east and is now officially known as the Sir Steve Redgrave Bridge. Amongst the centre's other facilities are a rowing tank.
The adjacent quayside is undergoing significant redevelopment as a state-of-the-art Business Park, "The Royals". The east end of the dock is the home of the University of East London
campus.
The centre is two minutes walk from Royal Albert Docklands Light Railway station.
A University of London
college (Queen Mary, University of London Boat Club
and its medical school St Bartholomew's and the London Hospitals' Boat Club) are based at the Regatta Centre. Although their spiritual home is the Trafalgar Rowing Centre on the River Thames at Greenwich, Curlew Rowing Club
now do most of their rowing from the London Regatta Centre.
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
centre, is located in the heart of the Docklands area in the East End of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It is built at the west end on the north of the historic Royal Albert Dock
Royal Albert Dock
The Royal Albert Dock is one of three docks in the Royal Group of Docks of east London, now part of the redeveloped Docklands.-History:The dock was constructed to the east of the earlier Victoria Dock by the St Katharine and London dock companies and opened in 1880...
directly opposite London City Airport
London City Airport
London City Airport is a single-runway airport. It principally serves the financial district of London and is located on a former Docklands site, east of the City of London, opposite the London Regatta Centre, in the London Borough of Newham in east London. It was developed by the engineering...
. The site is owned by the Royal Albert Dock Trust, and is home to the Royal Docks Rowing Club, Raging Dragons
Raging Dragons
Raging Dragons is a Dragon Boat club based in London, UK. The club trains on the Royal Albert Dock at the London Regatta Centre. The club was formed in 2002 as a charity crew called Chinese Professionals, and later Dragonflies...
Dragon Boat
Dragon boat
A dragon boat is a human-powered watercraft traditionally made, in the Pearl River delta region of southern China - Guangdong Province, of teak wood to various designs and sizes. In other parts of China different woods are used to build these traditional watercraft...
Club, Thames Dragons, and Typhoon DBC.
The Regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
Centre was practically completed in September 1999. It was opened formally March 2000, by HRH the Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
. The building was designed by the award-winning Ian Ritchie Architects
Ian Ritchie Architects
Ian Ritchie Architects Ltd is a leading British architectural practice, founded in London in 1981 by Ian Ritchie. Ritchie also co-founded the engineering firm Rice Francis Ritchie with Peter Rice and Martin Francis in Paris in 1981.-Recognition:...
. The 200 year lease on the land for the centre was to the Royal Albert Dock Trust, by the London Docklands Development Corporation
London Docklands Development Corporation
The London Docklands Development Corporation was a quango agency set up by the UK Government in 1981 to regenerate the depressed Docklands area of east London. During its eighteen-year existence it was responsible for regenerating an area of in the London Boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets and...
.
The centre boasts a 2,000 metre course, with seven lanes plus a return lane. The existing 1,750 metre length of the dock was extended to 2,000 by the removal and replacement of the Woolwich Manor Way Bridge at the east of the dock. The new bridge was built further east and is now officially known as the Sir Steve Redgrave Bridge. Amongst the centre's other facilities are a rowing tank.
The adjacent quayside is undergoing significant redevelopment as a state-of-the-art Business Park, "The Royals". The east end of the dock is the home of the University of East London
University of East London
The University of East London is a university located in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England, based at two campuses in Stratford and Docklands areas...
campus.
The centre is two minutes walk from Royal Albert Docklands Light Railway station.
A University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
college (Queen Mary, University of London Boat Club
Queen Mary, University of London Boat Club
Queen Mary, University of London Boat Club is the rowing club of Queen Mary, University of London. The club was founded in 1910. Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, although a part of QMUL, have their own boat club: St Bartholomew's and the London Hospitals' Boat Club...
and its medical school St Bartholomew's and the London Hospitals' Boat Club) are based at the Regatta Centre. Although their spiritual home is the Trafalgar Rowing Centre on the River Thames at Greenwich, Curlew Rowing Club
Curlew Rowing Club
Curlew Rowing Club is rowing club based on the Tideway of the River Thames at Greenwich, London, England. It was founded in 1866.Curlew Rowing Club has been in Greenwich, without interruption for over 130 years, through 2 world wars, based in various boathouses and not always called Curlew.We have...
now do most of their rowing from the London Regatta Centre.