These suburbs have facilities such as walking and cycling trails, barbecues, picnic settings, playgrounds, native plantings and plenty of parking for locals and visitors. The boardwalk between Warners Bay and Eleebana is a particular highlight.

Now return to the poor cousin township of Toronto: What does our council have planned for us? Well folks, they are going to take a big chunk of your foreshore land and spend up to a million dollars of your rates to authorise a development application to build a six storey block of units.

Responses to my letters to the mayor and councillors were weasel-worded, shape-shifting missives banging on about “progress, community consultation and jobs”. If Lake Macquarie City Council thinks it can treat Toronto differently to other suburbs in its care, it had better think again. The natives are restless and the revolt is planned.

- Kate Elderton, Toronto

REGARDING the proposal for a skate park at Morisset (‘Skate park on again’, Lakes Mail, July 19) and the search for a suitable location where the noise won't affect residents, with unlimited car parking spaces, yet somewhere that is still central to the township and railway station.

What's wrong with Morisset Showground? It may not be in a position to be admired by passing motorists, or attract tourism, but it fulfills all the above requirements. It’s just down the road from the soccer field (Auston Oval) and a McDonald’s restaurant, and is just a short walk from the train station.

Surely, with appropriate lighting and security, it can turn what is at present an unused space, most of the time, into a much needed and used facility. Why stop at a skate park? l am sure other added attractions for the town’s youth could be arranged, such as mini golf, a short-range archery field, even an unleashed dog play area.

Make the skate park a showcase where it can be seen. There is no reason the showground can't resemble council’s Speers Point Park which, l must admit, is a credit to council’s planning department.

- Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek

THE Toronto Foreshore Protection Group and their friends will host a letter-writing night at the Toronto Community Centenary Hub (97 The Boulevarde, Toronto) on Monday, July 30, from 6pm to 9pm. All necessary equipment will be supplied to allow people to write to anyone they believe may be able to help save the foreshores from the actions of Lake Macquarie City Council.

On Tuesday, September 4, from 7pm to 8.30pm, a protest gathering will be held at Toronto High School to show council that locals oppose their proposed development on the Toronto foreshore, and wish the foreshore to be kept for future generations to enjoy. Toronto already has the smallest foreshore of all towns that are on the lake.

And I hope to be able to arrange the raising of a helium balloon at the Bath Street site to show that the proposed building will, in winter, throw a shadow over the town all the way to the Town Square.

- Bruce Fitzgerald, Woodrising

I WAS interested to read the article about the proposed skate park at Morisset (‘Skate park on again’, Lakes Mail, July 19). I see that the council was concerned about building a skate park too close to residential properties. It's too bad that the reverse didn't apply when they approved the massive high-density development right next door to the skate park at Bonnells Bay. An absolute disgrace.

- Garry Redman, Balcolyn