The maps show how the town centre has been transformed since 1990. Overall, the town centre has witnessed substantial alterations, with a greater emphasis on navigating convenience and safety for pedestrians. Zebra crossings have been painted for safety and bollards have been installed to restrict the Smith street to pedestrian access only, driven by an increased traffic flow today. Other infrastructure changes include a consolidation of various stalls into a single shopping mall, and conversion of two-storey houses into apartment blocks to accommodate a growing population. Less prominently, what used to be a bank to the east of the town has been repurposed as a cafe.
In 1990, the town centre lacked essential traffic regulations and all four streets – Newton, Smith, Green, and Oldfield – could be freely accessed by vehicles. Smith street, in the north of the map, featured a row of four shops (Newsagent’s, grocer’s, baker’s, butcher’s) alongside a cafe. Adjacent to these shops was a childcare centre. Additionally, across from the childcare centre, the library was located, flanked by a Town hall and a park. To the south, in Green street, there were a row of seven houses, with an extra house to the east, just beyond Oldfield street. This street also was the home to two banks positioned opposite to each other: one in the northeast and the other directly below it.
By contrast, several key changes are in place today. Various types of shops on Smith street have been consolidated into a single shopping mall, while the childcare centre,Town hall, Library, and park have been retained. Currently, Smith Street is prohibited from vehicles’ entrance with the help of bollards, possibly with a view to prevent noise and air pollution that might affect the experience of park and library visitors. Meanwhile, houses in the Green and Oldfield streets have been turned into apartment blocks. Pedestrian safety has also improved with the addition of zebra crossings on Green and Oldfield Streets, making it safer to travel between the apartments, Town Hall, and the newly established café.
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