A DEDICATED dog walking area at the Sports Village in Sowerby, near Thirsk, is now under development and set to open later in the year.

The area, at the western side of the site, will offer a dog friendly, safe, enclosed space for dogs to be exercised off their lead.

The Sports Village was opened early in March 2020 as a direct response to the Covid pandemic to provide a safe space for people to take their daily exercise.

Hambleton District Council says during this time, it became clear that many families with dogs wanted to combine this daily exercise with a dog walk too, so the council decided to allow dogs on the site.

When lockdown ended, sport activity resumed on the site, and it has become clear that a dedicated space for people to exercise their dogs was needed, in addition to the sports fields and pitches, going forward.

Council Leader Councillor Mark Robson said: “This is about making sure the sports village offers something for everyone, those enjoying organised sport, those wanting to simply get out and get some exercise and fresh air and those people specifically wanting to exercise their dogs.

“We’ve listened to the community and hopefully the addition of the dedicated space for exercising dogs will be welcomed and much used by the dog walking community.”

The seeding of the site is currently underway and once the grass is established the site will open.