The Toronto community is battling to convince Lake Macquarie City Council that its proposal to build high-rise on much-needed foreshore parkland is not in any way in the best interests of future generations.

We were delighted to see Newcastle City Council listen to its community’s concerns and decide against locating a skate bowl on a surfing beach.

What will it take for LMCC to listen to our valid, genuine concerns and stop this inappropriate, high-rise development right now?

- Kate Elderton, Toronto 

ROBERT Ireland’s letter (“Lakeside parking woes”, Lakes Mail, February 14) points out how few designated off-road parking sites exist on the Toronto foreshore.

Currently there is informal off-street parking at Bath Street (opposite Royal Motor Yacht Club, Toronto), used by Toronto town workers, people accessing the foreshore for recreational activities including boaties launching their boats from the public boat ramp, people making use of the only accessible elevated area in Toronto to park and look out over the marina and lake, and overflow parking for community events at the RMYC and nearby primary school.

The Heaven Can Wait Charity Sailing Regatta took place on Saturday, the 13th year of this event, which raises funds for cancer patients in the Hunter. About 80 boats were expected to take part.

In January, Toronto Amateur Sailing Club, also on the foreshore, hosted the Windsurfer Class Australian Championships. Some of the competitors even used the southern part of Victory Row to set up a temporary caravan park.

Regattas and other water-based activities at Toronto need the informal parking at Bath Street because there is minimal parking elsewhere.

If council takes this Bath Street site for their use, and builds a four- to six-storey building, then such community events will no longer be possible. And a very community-minded club will die.

- Wendy Davidson, Toronto

GLOBAL temperatures have increased in the past 15 years. Carbon dioxide levels are the highest they’ve ever been. And 2016 was ranked as the warmest on record, according to NASA.

My generation, my child’s generation, and those afterwards will be the ones that have to face the consequences. It's our duty to leave this place in better condition than when we received it.

Even with rentals you're meant to clean up after you end your lease. It's really not that bizarre a concept to look after the place you live in.

Australia has a magnificent opportunity to build a new future for itself - investing in renewables and focusing on taking advantage of that market could be what sets us apart from other countries. Plus, imagine not feeling ripped off at the petrol station when they jack up the prices by 30 cents a litre in a single day. Wouldn’t that feeling alone be worth it?

- A M Wykes, Bonnells Bay

I WRITE to comment on the letter ("Climate change a cycle", Lakes Mail, February 14.) The writer thinks renewable energy will ruin our economy. Well, Germany (the biggest economy in Europe), California (the biggest economy in the US) and China (if not already, the soon-to-be biggest economy in the world), are all busy investing in renewables. Why? Apart from the fact that they don't damage the environment, they are much cheaper to build and run than dirty old coal (renewable technology prices continue to fall, and the fuel is free!).

- Richard Edmonds, Balcolyn