Olympic medallist Alex Partridge opened a new £1.2 million boathouse facility for rowers from the Bristol and Bath region today.
The new facility, in Saltford, is joint project between the University of Bristol, Avon County Rowing Club and Monkton Combe School in Bath.
The opening ceremony featured a row past of boats from local clubs, followed by the official opening by Alex Partridge, an Old Monktonian and Olympic silver and bronze medallist.
The new clubhouse boasts a large boathouse and modern facilities, including a big kitchen, spacious viewing balcony outside, and four showers each for both males and females.
This is a vast improvement on the previous clubhouse which was over 100 years old and had no showers and only offered one toilet.
The final project cost was funded by the clubs themselves through many generous donations from members past and present and several individual benefactors. British Rowing and Sport England also made substantial contributions.
The facilities are also used by Canoe Avon and provide a new base for Bristol Empire Dragons, a dragon boat racing club.
The regatta run by Avon County Rowing Club on this stretch of river is where Steve Redgrave won his first medal as a schoolboy.
Helen Glover also trained on this water before going on to win the UK's first gold with Heather Stanning in the 2012 London Olympics.
Former international rower Gordon Trevett, director of rowing at the University of Bristol said: "The new boathouse will make a huge difference to our club.
"The excellent facilities are such that we will be able to retain more members which will ultimately improve our performances at the top end.
"The more that come in at the bottom end then more high performance rowers emerge at the top after two to three years.
"In addition, a far better club spirit will emerge as the social facilities in the new clubhouse are superb."
Jim Dawson, a trustee and committee member of Avon County Rowing Club, said: "it is a real community rowing club and the new facilities will allow us to serve the local community better.
"We have about 200 members from our very strong junior section right up to masters. We're aiming to grow our membership by around 40 per cent over the next five years.
"With the new facility I think we will go from strength to strength."
