Re: Box Hill Tram update

[Jeremy Lunn <spammers-will-die@austux.net>]

David McLoughlin wrote:

> It's a few years now since I lived in Box Hill and last time I visited
> (1997) I didn't check out anything east of Station Street, but when I
> was a kid there, the library occupied the median strip of Whitehorse Rd
> past Station St and there were a fair few other things in that median
> too.
> 
> Is the library still there, or other things that would have to be moved
> for a tram extension past Station St?

Yes that building is still standing but it's not used anymore.  The
library is now located accross the road next to the town hall and has been
for quite some time (maybe 15-20 years at least).  I can't say that I've
never known that building on the median strip to be the library considering
I'm 16 years old.

> 
> And what about the White Horse, which IIRC was in the median just before
> Market St and would have to be moved to make way for the current tram
> extension proposal?

A fibre glass replica of the whitehorse is in place at the start of the 
median strip as you aproach Box Hill from the west.  The refurbished (after 
it got vandelised) original is supposed to be in the foyer of the town hall,
but I've never really noticed it when I've been in there.

> 
> And just on that issue, is Box Hill still dry (ie without pubs)? The
> White Horse statue stood outside a famous pub until pubs were banned in
> Box Hill (didn't stop my old man drinking though, he went to the
> Doncaster Inn and even had a sly grog shop in the petrol station behind
> the Inn for his Sunday drinking, which was called "the Catholic Hour"
> for some reason he never explained).

This was changed a few years ago.  I think it might have been around 98/99.
There still aren't any pubs and I don't think the dry area restriction 
prevented restaurants from getting liquor licenses, so I don't know how it's
changed things.