What a farce and a waste of money, removing the Return and Earn reverse vending machine from Rathmines Memorial Bowling Club (Club Catalina).

The community should have been given the chance to decide what’s right for Rathmines.  Lets get together and force the return of our machine. 

- A Bradley, Buttaba.

COMMENTS made by some at Lake Macquarie City Council regarding the proposed development of the Toronto foreshore are misleading.

A key argument presented by some councillors that opponents want the site to remain in its current state - an unkempt, vacant parcel of land – are wrong.

Opponents want the area utilised as public space.

Instead of residential and tourist units, shops and businesses they want parkland with sympathetic developments such as walkways, cycleways, kiosks, playgrounds, improved boating facilities, barbecues and outdoor gym equipment.

This parkland would connect to the existing foreshore park, essentially turning a small foreshore park into a much larger one.

- Melissa McGill, Hamilton East

THANKS to Richard Mallaby for his letter (“At last, some vision”, Lakes Mail, October 11). It is great to hear of the planned 11GW wind and solar project in the Pilbara.

Unfortunately, most of this power will not be used in Australia as there is no grid connection from the Pilbara to the rest of the country.

However, it will replace gas generators in the region, and the surplus will be exported via an undersea cable. At least we'll be exporting clean energy, instead of the dirty variety in the form of coal or gas. 

Elsewhere, we can also celebrate the opening of the 300MW Bungala solar farm at Port Augusta, South Australia, which uses a mix of solar PV and concentrating solar thermal technology, the latter capable of providing solar power when the sun is not shining.

These two projects along with energy storage via batteries or pumped hydro are showing the direction we must take as a nation to achieve the emissions reductions recommended by the latest IPCC report.

- Richard Edmonds, Balcolyn

THE Toronto community is being chastised for “having difficulty coping with change”. But consider the type of change that Lake Macquarie City Council is determined to foist upon us on the Toronto foreshore Bath Street site.

Their plan to build an apartment block of up to six storeys on a large parcel of waterfront land (that could be developed as a magnificent public park) is the change that we are all questioning.

We are told we need “place activation” more “retail and dining opportunities”, “more bars and tourist infrastructure” and “more business opportunities”.

Toronto has more than 15 coffee shops/cafes, three large service clubs, a large hotel, serviced apartments and a motel. I have discovered 12 Airbnb properties listed in Toronto. There are empty shops on The Boulevarde.

The Toronto community is well informed, thoughtful and engaged. Our lakeside environment is valued and worth fighting for.

Does the council think we will roll over and allow this public land adjacent to Bath Street be lost to council’s inappropriate scheme?

Will this council be brave enough to admit that they have listened and that they have got it wrong this time?

- Kate Elderton, Toronto