We were overjoyed to see volunteering operating locally at a monumental level: 32 volunteers; two or three coats of paint; two colours; painted, fed and finished by 12.30pm. City Serve you are legendary!

Lake Macquarie City Council facilitated the arrangements, so a big thank you to them, and more volunteers from Meals on Wheels arrived on site to feed everyone.

We were one very great place to be on that morning, and now Meals on Wheels, Toronto and Morisset, are again open for business feeding as many west Lake Macquarie residents as we can. Give us a ring on 4959 2929.

- Jane Smith, Meals on Wheels, Toronto and Morisset

THE community could be lulled into thinking that Johnson Property Group’s (JPG) helipad application lodged with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) in November 2016 has gone away, as it is more than 11 months since the community lodged over 400 objections to this helicopter modification.

The state government is still waiting for the developer to respond to the community’s objections. When this happens the community will be informed and given just 14 days for their response.

All of the developer’s helicopter and aviation operation applications still remain active. Lake Macquarie City Council (LMCC) accepted JPG’s development application 3.5 years ago and recommends a menu of helicopter operations for this application.   

The community is outraged by local government representatives who stated in their pre-election campaign “We will stop the over development of Trinity Point!”  Yet, less than 12 weeks after their election LMCC submitted  a signed document to the DPE supporting the helipad.

After contacting the mayor and Ward 3 councillors I was told “Councillors do not have an assessment or decision-making role in this process.”

So who approved the letter from LMCC to the DEP on December 16, 2016, supporting the helicopter operating conditions? 

Over 7000 Morisset Peninsula residents are affected by the social impact from this helipad application.

- Irene Bates, Brightwaters

I TOTALLY agree with Stephen Dewar of Toronto (“Trial is off the rails”, Lakes Mail, November 23, 2017).  I have been commuting from Morisset to Sydney now for over five years. The so-called express (or flyer) services stop at too many Sydney suburban stations. They have their own regular services and we should not be stopping there. 

Having said that, it probably would not make any difference anyway due to the congested train tracks.  We are often stuck outside of Central in the morning waiting to pull in, and on the way home we stop often before coming in to Hornsby.

- Janet Ackland,  Arcadia Vale

I WAS about to organise a street party celebrating council finally poisoning off our lantana plantation along the roadway. But the lantana was just thirsty, and is growing back strongly after rain. Maybe they should rename our street Lantana Plantation Drive as there is no footpath, kerb and guttering, or sewer connection. But we do have a faulty NBN which meant we had no phone for two months because a Telstra pit has been uncovered for years and no technician was prepared to clear the lantana encasing it. Considering our council rates are far above average, is it asking too much to clear the lantana, provide a safe roadside walking path, and help get my phone working again? Or am l simply on the wrong side of the lake?

- Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek