By Angela Gemmill

Those with the Sudbury Canoe Club, the Sudbury Rowing Club and the Sudbury Dragon Boat Festival are itching to get into their new combined facility on the south west corner of Ramsey Lake.

The $4.6-million Northern Water Sports Centre should be completed later this summer, likely August, and all the boats moved over at that time.

Chair Thomas Merritt says a new location was needed because the Elizabeth Street boathouse is overcrowded and not easily accessible.

It is also currently flooded creating difficulties for the adaptive sports programs, which have numerous athletes in wheelchairs.

The new centre, which will be fully accessible was built higher up so as to avoid flooding issues.

Even though the new centre will be open likely by August, Merritt says all programming will operate out the current facility for the remainder of the summer.