Path would be Heaven
WHILE I'm pleased to see the work at the Toronto waste management site, I couldn't help feeling gutted. I realise the work is necessary to accommodate the council's new environmental program, but I'm jealous of the newly sealed roads with kerbs and gutters. I live on Lake Street at Blackalls Park, a mere 15 minutes walk to downtown Toronto, and our street doesn't have a kerb, a gutter, or even a much-needed footpath. I, and the other hundreds of residents of my street, have to constantly dodge traffic every day to walk on our precious little strip of bitumen. Oh, just a path would be heaven.
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- Joan Steele, Blackalls Park
Chinese expertise needed
WHILE I have never been in favour of 457 visas, I think Lake Macquarie City Council should consider bringing some Chinese engineers out to take charge of the repairs to the Pelican boat ramp. After all, the Chinese managed to build a bridge 55kms across open ocean consisting of roadways, an undersea tunnel, and two cable stay bridges in nine years. They also managed to build a new airport in six years even having to form an island to build it on. Our council has so far taken nearly four years to try and work out how to repair the ramp.
- Les Baldwin, Pelican
At last, some vision
EARLIER this year a consortium announced plans to build a 9GW Asia Renewable Energy Hub in the Pilbara region of WA. Since then, with Macquarie Group providing development capital, this has been expanded to 11GW (7.5GW wind turbines and 3.5GW solar).
At its peak, this hub would deliver about 50 per cent of Australia’s current generating capacity, and 20 per cent of our annual electricity demand. Financial closure for the first stage is anticipated in 2021, and the entire project is projected to take six to seven years.
In stark contrast we have a federal government who have replaced a third-rate National Energy Guarantee with no plan and little vision, other than a promise to bring down power prices.
Strange, then, with the increasing contribution of cheaper renewables to the National Energy Grid already forcing down electricity prices, to appoint an energy minister who has campaigned against wind turbines, criticized the growth in solar PV, and seems to prefer the advice of Alan Jones to energy experts.
- Richard Mallaby, Wangi Wangi
Bolt the goal keeper
USAIN Bolt coming off the bench for the Central Coast Mariners comes as no surprise, given he likely has not developed the required skill, fitness and experience needed in soccer or any other professional sport besides running. However he has the height, reach and gift of split-second reaction time needed to be a champion sprinter and goal keeper. Why not use the abilities he has trained for and give the man a sense of worth rather than have him a static display? He deserves a chance and we need more people with his dedication to sport.
- Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek
Sounds ‘Fishery’ to Sandra
LAKE Macquarie City Council thinks that throwing money at its ratepayers will appease them over any development the locals object to. Case in point is the recent approval of the mixed-use complex, on Brighton Street, in Toronto, despite the locals’ objections. The council recently notified the residents in the Fishery Point end of Dandaraga Road of surveying for road widening, kerb and guttering, and drainage. For over 30 years we've had to beg for any work on the road to be done. My fear is that the council have the point earmarked for housing. At present it is a haven for wildlife, especially native birds, which grace our property daily. Something seems very ‘Fishery’ to me. Hands off!
- Sandra Smith, Mirrabooka