The £30 million centre is being built on the River Lea at Broxbourne in Hertfordshire, just 12 miles upstream from the main Olympics site at Stratford, which is to play host to the canoe slalom events during the Games.

The start of construction work means the ODA has now delivered all of ‘the big build: foundations’ milestones it set out last summer.

A new document was released today outlining how the ODA has met all, and exceeded some, of the ten milestones set last summer – the document can be viewed at www.london2012.com/documents/oda-publications/big-build-foundations-delivered.pdf.

Morrison Construction has been appointed to build the new 10-hectare facility, which will The new Canoe Centre will also include a facility building and pumping house incorporating a reception, a café, changing rooms, offices and spectator viewing areas.

Facilities at the venue will include an Olympic-standard, 300 metre competition course with a height drop of 5.5m between the start pool and finish pool, a 160m intermediate and training course with a 1.6m height drop and a 10,000sq m finishing lake.

Temporary spectator seating will be installed at the venue for the duration of the Games.

The venue will then be developed into a sports and leisure complex for canoeing and white-water rafting for Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) after the Games.

The Centre will be owned, funded and managed by the LVRPA, which owns the site.

The venue will feature an intermediate course alongside the Olympic course, allowing the Centre to create an "inclusive and comprehensive" sports development programme in legacy from novice paddler through to elite competitors.

British canoeist Laura Blakeman, who won a gold medal at the recent European Canoe Slalom Championships and who was on hand at an open day at the site said: "It has been a huge honour to  present Great Britain in competitions across the world, so it's great to see the start of work on this new canoeing venue where I hope to compete on home soil in 2012.

"It was having local canoeing facilities that helped me in the early stages of my career so I'm delighted that after the excitement of the Games in 2012 this new venue will leave a lasting sporting legacy for a new generation of canoeists of all ages and abilities."

John Armitt, the chairman of the ODA, said: “Completing all of our milestones over the past year is a significant achievement and the start of work at Broxbourne shows we are hitting our targets not just on the Olympic Park but across the London 2012 project.

"We are making good progress but there will continue to be tough challenges ahead and we are not complacent.

“The start of construction work in Broxbourne keeps us on track to deliver a world-class venue for London 2012 and a major leisure attraction after the Games.

"With the venue due for completion ahead of 2012, we will deliver an early legacy of first-class new sporting facilities allowing the huge benefits of the Games to be felt in Broxbourne and the East of England region well before the world’s best athletes arrive in 2012.”

Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012, said: “This is an important stage in the delivery of a facility that will provide a world-class venue for Games-time and an excellent facility for elite athlete and community usage after the Games, living up to our promise of leaving a lasting legacy for sport.

"I look forward to seeing the construction of Broxbourne take shape as we develop a challenging Olympic course and a community facility which will provide a new experience for beginners."

Funding for the facility, which is due to be completed in time for testing and training by the end of 2011, has been provided by the LVRPA, the East of England Development Agency and Sport England.

Shaun Dawson, the chief executive of LVRPA said: “This excellent venue, which will actually be open before the Games, will be used by a wide range of people from elite canoeists to people who’ve never paddled before.

"The Centre will open again shortly after the Games and we’re expecting 70,000 visitors per year, most of them taking up the challenge of white water rafting.

"We’ll also be providing canoeing sports development opportunities for clubs, colleges, universities, schools and community groups."

Paul Owen, the chief executive of the British Canoe Union, said: “Today is a major step towards boasting a fantastic venue for our British canoe slalom athletes as they prepare for the London 2012 Olympic Games, it will also provide plenty of opportunities for people in the surrounding area and the UK to try what is the UK’s most popular watersport, for fun or competition.

"In addition, the facility will offer immense economic benefits to the local and surrounding areas.