Canoe2 signs lease for new boathouse at Rushden Lakes

Almost 20,000 people have paddled the River Nene with Canoe2 since it launched seven years ago, but the firm is now looking to extend and improve its offering.

The company has signed a lease for the new boathouse at Rushden Lakes and they are hoping to move in to their new home in the next six weeks.

Director Richard Nelson said: “With the signing of the lease, Canoe2 will be making an incredibly exciting move of location, just 10 minutes downstream, by canoe, from our previous base.

“Moving during 2017, Canoe2 will be operating from its purpose-built carbon neutral new home, The Boathouse, at the unique new retail, leisure and tourism destination Rushden Lakes.”

He said river trips will continue as normal, and later in the year when Rushden Lakes fully opens, Canoe2 will also be offering new services.

It will include hire of paddle craft on the lake, ‘paddle-out-and-back’ trips crossing the lake before venturing out to explore the river, as well as opening a new shop selling items including canoes and kayaks.

They will also be hiring out the boathouse meeting room with views over the lake.

Theg room will be available to community groups and charities at reduced rates, as well as being available to book for business and corporate use and private functions.

It will be run on a not-for-profit basis with all income being used to maintain the facilities, which include a kitchenette area, toilets and showers.

Director Ian Blackwell added: “We’re so pleased to already have plans in place for the Rushden Sea Cadets, Northamptonshire Scouts and The Wildlife Trust to benefit from use of this wonderful facility.

“With the sea cadets and Scouts also being given regular and easy access to the lake, we’re privileged to be custodians of such a fabulous facility, and we look forward to seeing The Boathouse at the heart of the local community.”

Canoe2’s move and expansion will also create new jobs.

Mr Nelson said: “We’d love to hear from anybody with a real interest in working with us at Rushden Lakes where we’ll be looking for oodles of enthusiasm to help maintain the highest levels of customer service we’ve become known for.

“We have a number of roles to fill that will require a good level of canoeing and kayaking experience, plus administrative roles where this won’t be necessary.”

Details of these jobs will be published soon via www.canoe2.co.uk or www.facebook.com/Canoe2.

The boathouse is located on the edge of the lake at Rushden Lakes and creates a gateway to the Site of Special Scientific Interest and lakeside walks.

The building has been designed as a ‘Net Zero’ energy building and is super-insulated with all required energy for operation generated on-site.

It is clad using timber effect cladding comprising of 86 per cent recycled materials and has a wildflower roof consisting of local grass and wildflower species native to the area to create habitat for bird and insect life.

The boathouse has been designed to minimise heat loss in winter and restrict heat gain in summer with the aim of keeping running costs as low as possible.